Portlaoise Hospital Action Committee along with Friends of Portlaoise Hospital and Colgan Sports have delivered 10,000 disposable PPE gowns to the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise this morning.
This valuable PPE was sourced through the contacts of Aidan Colgan and Colgan Sports Distributors and imported from China in recent days.
The donation to the Frontline Staff of the hospital was made possible by the generous contributions of many local people and indeed donations came from every corner of Laois and the surrounding counties that form part of MRHP’s catchment area.
The Hospital also had a special thanks to Minister Charlie Flanagan who smoothed the way for the logistics with help from the Chinese Embassy and to consultant solicitor Tony Duncan and local businessman Paschal O’Brien whose very generous donations to the PPE Appeal made the whole endeavour possible.
Dr. John Connaughton said: “I am delighted to receive this very generous donation of PPE on behalf of the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise today.
“It is greatly appreciated as is the continued support of the Hospital Action Committee and the Friends of the Hospital. In these challenging times the support shown to all the staff here in the hospital by the local community is a real fillip.”
General Manager Michael Knowles said: “As General Manager of MRHP I’d like to thank John (Hanniffy) and his team for sourcing and delivering these PPE gowns. It’s a great achievement and our frontline staff are very grateful.”
Minister Charlie Flanagan said: “I was delighted to be of assistance with this delivery of PPE to the hospital and I commend the Frontline staff for the excellent work they are doing during this time of crisis.
“Thanks to the hospital committees and Colgans for this brilliant initiative and to the generous donors who made the endeavour possible.
Portlaoise Hospital Action Committee’s John Hanniffy said: “On behalf of the Portlaoise Hospital Action Committee we are delighted to have been able to help our good friends in the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise and along with this PPE we send our very best wishes to all of the Frontline Staff who are doing such a tremendous job in very trying and worrying circumstances.
“The nurses and doctors and all the other staff in the hospital have been brilliant not just in this crises but over the past number of years and we are only passing on our good will and the wholesome appreciation and gratitude of the entire community and our supporters from throughout the catchment area of the hospital.
“We have had support from all over the region. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to our appeal, especially the likes of Tony Duncan, a consultant solicitor here in Portlaoise whose very generous donation broke the back of our funding requirement at the outset and led to us being able to achieve our target.
“Likewise with local businessman Paschal O’Brien whose significant contribution was also key to our success. Finally I’d like to wish my fellow Clubman Cahir Healy every success this weekend as he endeavours to raise funds for a number of causes, ours included.”
Tommy Timmons said: “The Friends of the Hospital are delighted to be able to support the nurses and doctors in this way, as we have always done, by raising money to buy equipment such as this. It’s a great initiative and we are delighted to play our part.”
Aidan Colgan added: “When John (Hanniffy) asked me to get involved in this projected we at Colgans were delighted to be able to help. If it only saves one life it is worth it. We hope to be able to do more in the coming weeks.”
