A dedicated team from the South West Acute Hospital’s adult learning disability team will take to the Belfast marathon this Sunday to raise funds for much needed sensory equipment.
A new sensory suite is currently being constructed in the Enniskillen hospital’s emergency department, with ten staff members fundraising extra money for the equipment which will help many people in the local community.
“There are 10 of us from the Adult Learning Disability team who will be running this Sunday,” says team member Andrea Campbell.
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“The conversation started over teatime in the New Year with the whole new year, new me thing and we all wanted to get fit and get out and moving.
“It took legs from there and we were able then to put two teams into the marathon.
“Working with people with learning disabilities, there are so many different areas and charities, but we wanted to fundraise for something that was going to benefit all of the people here.
“There is a sensory room being developed at the emergency department in the hospital here so we just wanted to contribute to that in whatever way we could.”
Sensory rooms help those with learning disabilities cope with over stimulating environments such as busy emergency departments in hospitals.
The new room in the SWAH is expected to open later this year.
“The new suite will be a massive help to people coming in, but we are hoping to get portable equipment that can be brought to other areas of the hospital where they are needed.
“It will be a massive benefit to the service users and their families and make their lives in the hospital a lot easier.
“The running abilities of the 10 of us is quite varied, some of the ladies have never run before but we have a couple more experienced runners helping us out as well.
“It’s been great getting everyone out and moving, it has just spurred everybody on.”
One parent whose daughter attends the SWAH praised the work of the fundraising team, who have set up a fundraising page.
"I have a daughter with a Learning Disability and thankfully we don't have to visit the hospital very often but I hate the thought of it," the parent said.
"Having sensory equipment available in the South West Acute Hospital will be a god send to keep her occupied when we visit for appointments or treatment and help to pass the long hours we would spend there.
"I was delighted to hear about this fundraiser and would like to wish the team good luck, I feel better knowing that there will be sensory equipment available in the SWAH that will help to ease both mine and my daughter's anxieties if we need to visit the hospital again in the future."
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