Soapbox races help to purchase ECG machine for hospital ward

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Soapbox racers have been the vital final piece in the jigsaw to help purchase a critical piece of equipment for the acute medical unit at the West Suffolk hospital.

An ECG machine is now being used on the F7 ward thanks to the efforts of Sealeys, the company which provides professional tools and workshop equipment and is based in Bury St Edmunds, in Kempson Way. They had a team in last year’s My WiSH Soapbox race and managed to raise £1,035.31 from their participation in the event.

The money has now been used by the charity to help purchase the ECG which cost £6,000.

Teams are now lining up for this year’s race which takes place down Mount Road on Saturday, August 31, with money raised from the challenge going to support the charity’s Butterfly Appeal to help further enhance end of life care at the hospital.

Malcolm Mclanachan, service engineer at Sealeys, said he heard of the appeal for the ECG through his wife Kate who is a sister on F7. So the team decided to raise money for the machine.

He said: “We will be back again at the Soapbox Challenge when we hope to defend our crown of being the best soapbox and we’re hoping there is going to be a few more teams taking part this time round and we are all looking forward to taking part again.”

Claire Starie, the ward manager on F7, said the machine cost a total of £6,000 and the money raised from an My WiSH Charity abseil down the ArcelorMittal Orbit on the Olympic Park, in London, along with other fundraising activities and the funds collected by Sealeys helped to start the fundraising for the machine. She said: “Most of the people who work on the ward took part along with supporters which helped us to start off the fundraising for the ECG which is very vital for the ward.

“A lot of the patients that come into the ward are either new additions or are admitted with cardiac problems or have a history of it and the ECG machine is vital to keep check on them.”

Sally Daniels, appeal manager, said: “The soapbox challenge last year was just amazing and raised around £8,000 to help us enhance care at West Suffolk Hospital. “Helping ward F7 complete their fundraising was just fantastic and we can’t thank Sealeys enough. We hope more teams will join us this year, it’s going to be great fun and just look at the difference they can make to our patients”.