The Teddy Charity (reg no. 1061346) was set up to raise money exclusively for medical
equipment and sundries needed for sick children being nursed at home in
the area. Children are less frightened in familiar surroundings and this
can be of benefit to both patient and carers, and of course whenever the
Teddy Charity helps a child return home this releases a hospital bed for
another young patient. However medical equipment is expensive, and often
parents have difficulty in finding the money for the necessary equipment.Requests
for medical equipment for use at home come directly from the community
nurses and sometimes parents are sent direct to us via consultants.
Purchased Equipment
Below is a list of items purchased and a brief explanation of its function.
It may seem that we have quite a few different machines that all do the same job - measure the oxygen.
This is necessary to be able to cover a variety of different situations the patients are facing.
We buy as each area community nurses request but the articles still remain ours for use in any of the territories we cover.
This means equipment doesn't lie dormant in one section when another is in desperate need of it.
A Syringe Pump which will deliver constant measured doses of medicine for use in such cases as
terminal care, anti-asthmatics, chemotherapy, and IV therapy. Used mainly for pain relief and costs £2000
The Community Nurses look after children with many respiratory problems including Asthma,
Cystic Fibrosis and Croup, and when they are unwell they are often called to decide if the
child needs to go into hospital or whether the nurses can manage them at home.
Three Portable Oxygen Saturation Monitor will help to make an accurate assessment
of this situation. £750 each
Three Standalone Oxygen Saturation Monitors are for longer term monitoring for small babies which
require oxygen at home. This will also be used with particular monitors to do sleep studies to determine
if the babies' lungs are able to cope without supplementary oxygen overnight. £1200 each
Two Pari Walkboys - A nebuliser system which is powered by a rechargeable battery making it easier to
transport, can last for nearly an hour and can deliver the equivalent of about 8 inhalation sessions.
This means that the child is no longer housebound. £500 for both
Two TruSat Pulse Oximeters and Oxytip Wrap Sensor for the smaller patients @ £1300 for both.
This is another type of oxygen measuring equipment.
Six Vacuaide 7305 Suction Pumps for tracheotomies and other throat operations. £310 each
A very special doll which currently is only made in the USA which will be used for training
parents in the care of their special needs children. This doll will be used with urethral
catheterization and tracheotomy training as well as PICC line emergencies gastrostomy tube and
gastrostomy button training. The cost will be over £500
A series of monitors and sensors along with a coupler for use on a child suffering badly from
epilepsy at a cost of just over £600.
Two special scales have also been purchased to aid careful monitoring of very sick babies @ around £500.
Tipping beds for cystic fibrosis sufferers at £330 each
A Fetal Dopplex @ £227.00
A Dopplex Probe 8MHz for Examination of Peripheral/Superficial Vessels @ £182.00
The Future
Although The Teddy Charity is still in its infancy it is very much hoped that it
will gain a strong presence within the next 5 to 10 years. As the charity spends
no money on overheads or fundraisers it is very much hoped that the balloons will
help spread the word, and that with each sale money will be accumulated to assist
sick children and at the same time our name will become better known. We believe
this is an innovative way of advertising without using donations for glossy brochures
or advertising in papers and magazines and leaves donations intact for buying medical
equipment and sundries for very ill children.
Your Help
Your help is of endless benefit in our endeavours to get the word across and your
purchase is very, very much appreciated.
If you are interested in helping us by putting on an event or in some other way please
don't hesitate to get in touch with us either on 01799-513335 or e-mail contact@balloonsbypost.com.
From The Teddy Charity, the children you have helped and their families,
thank you so very much.
Balloons By Post & The Teddy Charity
Balloons by Post is a privately owned company that voluntarily gives its balloon profits to help
the Teddy Charity buy medical equipment for very sick children. No one working for the organisation
receives a salary. Balloons are also donated to help other charities that are involved with
sick children like The Children's Society, The Children's Trust, Copars along with children's hospices,
children's wards and very sadly, children's funerals.
The owner of Balloons By Post founded The Teddy Charity and her son is also a Trustee.
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