It was ten years ago, in March 2011, when Amanda Drennan created history by becoming the first person to swim the island’s 66 kilometre circumference in a shark cage, to raise funds and awareness of Phillip Island’s need for 24/7 health care. Fast forward ten years, and Amanda and her team have presented a cheque for $61,000 to the Health Hub, for the purchase of a state of the art bedside ultrasound machine. Amanda (front left) and Lou Sparkes, Acting CEO Bass Coast Health (front right) are pictured at the presentation ceremony on Monday with some of her her support team: Back from left they are Amanda’s mum Anne Drennan, nursing Amanda’s baby son Sidney, partner Ben Strong, Cheryl Overton, Rob Wilkinson and Peter McInnes.
Kirsten Weinzierl, Operations Director at the Phillip Island Health Hub, and Liam Nancarrow, Acting Nurse Unit Manager, Urgent Care, admire the Hub’s new bedside ultrasound machine, purchased with the funds raised by Paralympian Amanda Drennan.
This was the scene ten years ago in 2011 when Amanda Drennan set out on a mission to raise awareness of the health needs of Phillip Island. A decade on, a 24/7 Health Hub has been established on Phillip Island; a community hospital is in the pipeline, and Amanda has presented a cheque for almost $62,000 in funds raised locally, to fund a state of the art bedside ultrasound machine. She is pictured back then with her dad Wayne, and support team members Diddie Cuthbertson and Noel Duffy.
Paralympian Amanda Drennnan last week presented a cheque for over $61,000 to the Phillip Island Health Hub.
The funds are the proceeds raised from Amanda’s epic swim, ten years ago back in 2011, when she circumnavigated Phillip Island in a shark cage, in an amazing achievement and one never accomplished before.
The swim was conducted over a five day period, during which a then 22 year old Amanda, a champion paralympian swimmer, became the first person to swim the island’s 66 kilometre circumference .
In completing this impressive feat, Amanda not only created history but also did it the hard way in raising awareness and funds for a 24 hour medical centre to be established in Cowes.
The response to her appeal was heartening and well supported by the local community who dug deep into their pockets and contributed to this event in cash and kind, and attended further fundraising events organised by her.
The final tally of $61,884 has finally been presented to the Phillip Island Health Hub, and has been used to purchase a state of the art bedside ultrasound, which enables patienst to be immedaiately assessed.
“This state of the art equipment is the envy of many other health services, and can be used by staff to make quick decisions on the spot without having to wait for radiology,” said Lou Sparkes, Acting CEO Bass Coast Health, at Monday’s presentation ceremony.
“Medical specialists visiting the Hub are amazed that we have one.”
Lou expressed the sincere thanks of BCH to Amanda and her strong support team, many of whom were present for the presentation ceremony.
“It was a huge effort. Amanda was motivated to raise awareness of the need for improved health on Phillip Island . . . and she did.
