Radio station 2MC FM has delivered a record $19,154.80 to the hospital to assist with the care and treatment of babies and children.

The hospital’s executive officer/director of nursing, Kathleen Boman, said the fundraiser made an enormous contribution to the hospital each year.

“The hospital is very fortunate to have such support – we are extremely grateful to the station, its listeners and its partners in this fundraising campaign, including the Macksville Country Club with its popular Charity Bowls day,” she said.

“We love our newborns and we love our maternity service and this money will certainly support those little ones and also any of the children who present to our emergency department.

“The money will finance the purchase of a dedicated bed that we use in our pregnancy care clinic and it will also support purchase of a resuscitation mannequin which our staff will use through their education of resuscitation of babies.

“The emergency department will have a resuscitation for children projector which will be used for their education as well, and also very technical piece of equipment that is for those children who are that unfortunate to be that unwell in the emergency department and need transfer to a high-level hospital, it supports their breathing and ventilation.

“We can’t underestimate the importance of that sort of equipment. It certainly will benefit all of the children in the local community.”

The total raised this year has set a new record.

“It’s always a highlight of our year,” 2MC FM Breakfast Announcer Mark Strachan said.

“This is something we love doing and it’s so easy to do because people are so receptive. But we can’t do it without the community getting behind it.

“Ever year I’m amazed at what everyone does, it’s a credit to the Macksville community being so generous.

“I love that we start Give Me Five For Kids off as a month-long campaign and ask hospitals for a wishlist. That’s all we ask for, we know things are tough out there, we don’t want anymore money than just for that wishlist, but it’s like a snowball that’s out of control.

“I think it’s just over $74,000 for the whole area. But the thing is Macksville sets the bar every year, on day one for GM5FK we’re up over $10,000. It’s absolutely amazing and a real credit to the Nambucca Valley.

“I think the whole community should take a bow.”

The annual campaign has supported sick children and babies at Macksville, Kempsey, Port Macquarie and Wauchope hospitals since 2005. 

In the past 11 years, the campaign has raised an impressive $490,000 which has bought specialist paediatric and neonatal equipment.