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$3.1 million for WA’s sick children
January 1, 2009
Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation had a record fundraising year in 2008, resulting in grants to PMH in excess of $3.1 million.
The grants, which were made to various wards and departments, funded vital medical equipment, specialist staff, research, hospital services and education and training. They included a state-of-the-art operating microscope, oncology research equipment, palliative care funding, newborn hearing equipment and ongoing sponsorship of the Megazone.
The money was raised by community and corporate donations, as well as Foundation events and campaigns.
“Last year we were thrilled to be able to fund a record number of purchases for the hospital,” Foundation CEO Vern Reid said. “In PMH’s centenary year, we are hoping to exceed that amount and we encourage the hospital and general public to get behind our fundraising efforts.”
“As the only charity that fundraises exclusively for the entire hospital, the Foundation is in a unique position to make a real difference to the lives of sick and injured children in WA, and we look forward to continuing this legacy in 2009,” Mr Reid added.
The Foundation is an independent not-for-profit body and has provided grants to PMH in excess of $22 million since its establishment in 1998.
Another long Ruggies annual trip…lucky too!
September 1, 2008
From mid September to mid October we did a 6,500klm run through the Mid West, Pilbara, East Pilbara, Marble Bar, Hedland, Karratha then down the coast through the Mid West again..
Our trusty Toyota Hilux was on a new set of donated tyres. We had driven 56,000klms on these tyres without one puncture and probably half of this distance has been on gravel! Now as soon as someone says something like that….POP you’ll lose one the very first gravel road. Well we didn’t …anyway we’ve kept the replaced ones as spares.
We are still amazed at the reliability of the Hilux and the good luck we continue to enjoy out among the mines dodging triple and quad road trains bouncing down the highways and haul roads.
Our first incident in two years and 55,000klms was a rock through the right rear passenger window thrown out from a tyre of a triple road train. (See below)
How’s this? As a precaution on gravel…..I always pullover and stop when any truck, road train or caravan approaches me throwing up a cloud of dust. For cars and 4WD’s I just back off and slow down. It’s just easier and safer to wait for the dust to clear before you continue on. So here I am stopped on the left of the gravel haul road out of Hope Downs, released my seatbelt to get my CD’s out of the glovebox and then
BANG!
Well can’t complain really…..luck can’t last forever.
Our thanks to Steve Hide from Austindo in Mt Newman. After he was supposed to finish his day he cut a Perspex copy which lasted another 4,000klms without letting any dust or water in at all. It even survived the high pressure wash we gave the Hilux back in Perth!
So a very successful trip visiting 31 mines….each trip expands our member base.
New meeting place a haven
July 1, 2008
Princess Margaret Hospital recently launched a new outdoor area designed to help Aboriginal patients and their families feel more comfortable at the hospital.
Funded by PMH Foundation, the Aboriginal Meeting Place is a secure area with a gazebo and grassed area where Aboriginal people can socialise and relax. The meeting place is the result of consultation which found that travelling to Perth for medical treatment was an overwhelming experience for many indigenous families.
PMH paediatrician Dr Gervase Chaney said it was important for the hospital to acknowledge and respect the cultural difference for Aboriginal families.
“The enormous difference in environment and culture that they experience on arrival in Perth exacerbates their fears and makes finding comfort very difficult during what is already a tough time.
“Those who live in remote areas may not be aware of how to operate a lift and are unfamiliar with being in high rise buildings. This new area will provide a safe, ground level area for these families to go while their child is in hospital.”
The project was sponsored by PMH Foundation’s Ruggies Recycling program with donations from Barrick, Tiwest, Newmont and their Mulgara Social Club.
Ruggies travel 8,000klm in four weeks
September 1, 2007
From the 23rd July to 18th August we drove out to 36 mine sites from Kalgoorlie to Kununurra.
Our donated Toyota Hilux completed 8,038 klms without so much as a puncture!
Just sensational! Fuel consumption has improved by 11% from last trip due to 10klm lower cruising speed and a now 'looser' diesel engine.
Once again our thanks go out to the Stan Perron Foundation and the Toyota dealers of WA.
And of course our further special thanks to Centurion for they were kind enough to transport the Hilux from Kununurra to Perth on the return journey.
We presented our existing Ruggies Recycling members with a 1500 x750mm Ruggies sign.
On this trip we also revisited the prospective members - some who we have been talking to for a few years.
Now there are 24 Ruggies signs installed on our member sites in highly visible positions.
Worsley Alumina Waste Champions Visit PMH
March 16, 2007
On 16th of February five members of the Waste Minimisation Team ventured up to Perth to see first-hand the benefits the Ruggies Recycling donations have made to PMH. During this visit the waste champions were taken on a tour of the Megazone which was the first project that Ruggies donations helped fund. This is an area where children staying in the hospital can go to have fun and relax and contains everything from arcade games to a basketball court!
The group was also allowed to enter the Paedatric Intensive Care Unit to see the latest Worsley funded equipment in operation. Called a Blanketrol II, this is a sophisticated heating and cooling device that allows accurate manipulation of the body temperature of critically ill children. It can be operated in either a manual mode or an automatic mode using feedback from a temperature probe in the body. This system is much safer than applying hot or cold packs to the body. The body temperature of patients is deliberately lowered to assist recovery following open heart surgery and to protect the brain after head injuries. It is also used to gradually rewarm patients who have hypothermia. The Blanketrol II is an essential item of equipment in the paediatric intensive care unit as PMH does 2-3 open heart operations every week!
Ruggies Recycling then presented a plaque to the Worsley Team to acknowledge their generous support in 2006.
Worsley Alumina’s Peter Drew, Silver Kenny and Ian Bushell with the Blanketrol II.
Golden Gecko success for Ruggies Recycling!
September 19, 2006
At the Department of Industry and Resources Golden Gecko Awards last night, Ruggies Recycling’s joint entry with Jo Jo’s Plastics was one of only two projects to be presented with a Golden Gecko award by the Minister - Mr John Bowler.
These awards were also celebrating their 15th year of recognizing excellence in environmental projects in the mining and resources sector.
Here is an extract from the Department ‘s website:
“For 30-40 years, black plastic pipe has been used on mine sites throughout Western Australia for the transport of water, chemicals and slurry. Invariably, once this product has become damaged or is no longer of use it has been dumped or buried at the mine site as landfill. As these products will never breakdown, a solution to the problem was sought. The disposal of plastic pipe is seen as a significant issue among the mining community.
The continuous lengths, weight and awkward dimensions of this product meant that the material was far too expensive to handle or recycle economically.
Since its beginning in 1996, Ruggies Recycling now receives donations from recycling programs at almost 50 Western Australian mine sites. To date almost $1M has been raised. Funds raised are equally shared between PMH and RFDS.
Jo Jo Plastics Pty Ltd based in Wangara, is a company recognised for its research and development activities in the production of pelletised recycled plastic for use in making new pipes, and for the production of plastic posts as substitutes for products such as CCA treated pine.
To overcome the transport issue, Ruggies and Jo Jo Plastics established contact with mine sites (using Ruggies’ extensive network of contacts), and identified the volume and type of waste materials present on those sites. Following this, Jo Jo Plastics designed and made a purpose-built mobile machine that would shred this material on-site to reduce its volume, making it easier to transport.
The machine is able to shred pipe up to very large diameters and wall thicknesses and put it into bulka bags, which can then be conventionally stored and transported.
By June 2006 over 500t of pipe has been shredded, raising over $5000 for Ruggies Recycling.”
Getting right out there
September 11, 2006
Ruggies Recycling has recently completed an extensive (6,800klms) trip to the mine sites in their new Toyota Hilux donated by Toyota WA. Of course the Toyota performed perfectly and economically….but so did Ruggies as a few significant cheques came in to us following our visit.
This trip encompassed 21 mines including 13 active Ruggies members.
We went up the Great Northern Highway to Port Hedland, then out to Telfer, down to Newman and Meekatharra, across to Wiluna, down to Leinster and then back over to Mt Magnet and finally home to Perth.
My thanks to those who provided meals and accommodation - the mines, village managers (ESS and Universal Sodexho), Jacquie & Lee at the very interesting and hospitable Doolgunna Station which is south of Barrick’s Plutonic mine.
We were pleased to be given the opportunity to present to a group of environmental staff who represented several BHP Billiton sites in the Pilbara. The purpose of this was to attempt to introduce to these Pilbara mine sites our poly pipe removal project that has been so successful in the Goldfields. The key to the success of this is the mobility of Jo Jo’s machine that chops up the poly pipe in situ and loads it into bulka bags ready to be sent to Perth with free backload transport when this is available.
Toyota supports Ruggies
July 19, 2006
Toyota WA and the Stan Perron Charitable Trust have generously donated a Toyota Hilux 4x4 Turbo Diesel Dual Cab to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation’s Ruggies Recycling fundraising project.
This will certainly reduce the travel costs of the Ruggies Recycling project that visits 50 mine sites throughout WA each year.
The ‘knock on’ affect of this means there are more funds available to purchase much need medical equipment in the Children’s Hospital.
The PMH Foundation and Ruggies Recycling wish to express there sincere thanks for this gesture as it will continue to provide an ongoing benefit to the sick kids of WA.
Goldfields Environment Management Group's Bi-annual Conference
April 1, 2006
In May 2006, Ruggies' Tony Fitz-Gibbon attended the Goldfields Environment Management Group's bi annual conference in Kalgoorlie.
On the Wednesday evening of this event about 20 keen Ruggies Recycling supporters gathered at the Saltimbocca restaurant for a great meal, drink and general catch up of our Ruggies network. Everyone agreed this was fun and worth doing again next GEMG conference, as it's probably the only time we are all in the same place at the same time. We were all pleased Rory Haymont was able to make it at such short notice. For those newcomers to Ruggies, Rory was a key speaker at the conference and really the 'founder' of the Ruggies idea when he was a young enviro working on Grannys in 1996.
From a Ruggies aspect, it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to, in a small way, acknowledge all your support over the last two years.
Following the GEMG Conference, Tony then visited 12 Northern Goldfields mines participating in the Ruggies program including a new member - Magellan. This is the new lead mine about 40klms west of Wiluna.
Ruggies Recycling and Jo Jo Plastics
March 1, 2006
Ruggies Recycling and Jo Jo Plastics made a joint entry into the Department of Industry & Resources' Golden Gecko awards for 2005.
The combined efforts of Ruggies, Jo Jo's Plastics and most importantly the transporters such as Toll made it possible to chop up over 500 tonnes of old broken poly pipe and get it off some Goldfields mines and back to Perth so it could be recycled into new poly pipe, fence posts and bollards. The key to this program is that Jo Jo's developed a mobile machine that can chop up the poly in situ and load it into bulka bags.
THIS SERVICE IS FREE.... on the condition the mine concerned arranges for the bulka bags of chopped pipe to be returned to Jo Jo's Wangara yard within 90 days of being processed.
If you wish to reduce your landfill and rid your mine of poly pipe - please contact Tony Fitz-Gibbon at Ruggies or on 0428 185 550.
Scrap saves lives
October 6, 2005
Who would have thought 750 tonnes of scrap could help save the lives of hundreds of seriously ill babies? Thanks to the efforts of the Sunrise Dam Gold Mine it can.
Sunrise Dam is a member of Ruggies Recycling, a PMH Foundation program that coordinates WA mines to recycle scrap that would otherwise be added to land fill. The money raised through the sale of the scrap is then donated to PMH and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Over the past year, Sunrise has raised over $30,000 for the hospital with funds used to purchase a new transcutaneous monitor for WANTS (West Australian Neonatal Transport Service). The monitor allows staff to follow the babies’ oxygen and carbon dioxide levels without having to take blood via a needle puncture. According to a PMH staff member, the monitor will literally “save thousands of tears” because it decreases the need to use needles on the babies.
Sunrise Dam’s resident manager Graham Ehm and environmental manager Belinda Bastow visited the hospital recently and were delighted at what their recycling efforts had achieved. “Being a member of Ruggies allows us to help the environment and care for the community at the same time,” Graham said. “As a result, scrap that used to be a problem is turned to a thing of great value for PMH.”
Since 2002, Sunrise has raised $70,000 for the hospital and is one of 52 Ruggies members. In total, Ruggies has raised just over $150,000 for PMH during the last year.
If you would like to become a Ruggies member and help WA babies, as well as the environment, please contact Tony Fitz-Gibbon on (08) 9489 1177.
Photo:
Belinda Bastow and Graham Ehm from Sunrise Dam with Dr Jenni Sokol (left) and the transcutaneous monitor that will help “save thousands of tears”.
Tony Fitz-Gibbon returns
June 8, 2005
Ruggies Recycling's Tony Fitz-Gibbon recently returned from a trip throughout the Northern Goldfields visiting 14 mines in 5 days. Ten of
these mines are already keen active Ruggies supporters who generate about 50% of the funds raised in the Goldfields. Both PMH and RFDS fully appreciate the efforts put in by the generous management and workers that do the 'hands on recycling' on these mines.... so all were presented with a Ruggies waterbottle holder!
In between these mines, Tony met with other companies that are prospective Ruggies members. The Ruggies program had dipped in performance back a couple
of years but has now recovered to be right on target. (See - About Ruggies section on website). By Tony successfully convincing a couple more of the major players in the Goldfields to join Ruggies, there will be even further funds raised to purchase better equipment to help the sick kids in the PMH wards.
Goldfields companies help save young lives
March 21, 2005
Waste materials from Goldfields mining companies is playing a valuable role in saving the lives of young Western Australian children.
Most of the major mining companies from the Goldfields and Northern Goldfields regions are actively involved in the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation’s Ruggies program, donating all their waste material to the Foundation for recycling.
Over the past 12 months the Foundation’s funds have been boosted by more than $150,000 from the sale of recycled mine site waste such as scrap metals, cardboard and aluminium cans.
Money raised goes towards providing the latest medical equipment to Princess Margaret Hospital and Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Companies that are part of the Ruggies Recycling program include Anglogold, Barrick Gold, Croesus, Jubilee Mines, Legend , LionOre Nickel, MPI Nickel, Newmont, Placer Dome and Sons of Gwalia.
“The Ruggies program has been well supported by most of the mining companies throughout the state and this support has been particularly strong in the Goldfields,” PMH Foundation program coordinator Tony Fitz-Gibbon said.
“Waste generated by mining operations is a very valuable resource that by law has to be disposed of in such a way that it does not impact on the environment,” Mr Fitz-Gibbon said.
“By donating it to Ruggies, it provides a double bonus of getting rid of excess materials at the same time as funding equipment at PMH and RFDS that over the years has provided state of the art technology and equipment to help seriously ill young West Australians.
“PMH is at the forefront of health provision on a global basis and this is due in no small way to programs such as Ruggies. For example, in recent months equipment such as Transcutaneous Blood Gas Monitors have been purchased and are already helping young kids in their fight against disease.
“Whilst the support of mining companies in the Goldfields is widespread, there are still some who are not part of the program and PMH, and young children, need and welcome the support of all levels of the Goldfields mining industry in the Ruggies program.”
Companies who would like to be involved should contact Tony Fitz-Gibbon at the PMH Foundation on 9489 11000 or email tony.fitzgibbon@pmhfoundation.com
Dad urges support from Pilbara mining community
August 4, 2004
Saturday June 26 was a night much like any other for the Withers family of Tom Price. Linda and Danny said goodnight to their three children, Caitlynne, Luke and Kayleen, totally unaware that by morning, one of them would be fighting for their life.
When 12-year-old Kayleen, normally the first one up, did not get up as usual, Linda and Danny went to check on her. They found their youngest child lying in bed unable to talk or move the right side of her body. They would later learn that Kayleen had suffered a severe stroke.
After initially being treated at Tom Price, the Royal Flying Doctor Service flew Kayleen and her parents to Perth where she was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit at Princess Margaret Hospital. Tests revealed a 5.5cm clot from a ruptured aneurysm in her brain - an abnormality that doctors say Kayleen was born with.
Doctors gave Kayleen only a 50-50 chance of surviving the surgery to remove the clot and repair the aneurysm. Kayleen not only survived the surgery but with the help of intensive physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, she is continuing to make a remarkable recovery.
“It is a bit of a waiting game at the moment – she may need one more operation before she is discharged and after that she will need to be treated as an outpatient for a further three to four months,” said Linda.
“She gets irritable and frustrated at times but she is such an independent child with a lot of get-up-and-go – she is determined to make a full recovery.”
And the worst part for Kayleen? Definitely the “bad hair” as a result of having her head shaved for surgery.
Danny, a crane operator at Hamersley Iron, has urged the mining community in the Pilbara to support the Ruggies Recycling program, which benefits both Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The program, which involves recycling waste from mine sites throughout WA, has raised more than $500,000 for PMH since it started in 1997. In June last year the Ruggies Recycling program became a joint operation between the PMH Foundation and RFDS, with the funds to be shared equally.
For more information on the Ruggies Recycling program, contact Tony Fitz-Gibbon at PMH Foundation on 9489 1177 or visit the website www.ruggiesrecycling.com
PMH the winners as CD Dodd cleans up
June 22, 2004
CD Dodd Scrap Metal Proprietor, Chris Dodd and Operations Manager, David Pryce, this week handed over an $8,000 cheque to the Ruggies Recycling project, the proceeds from the clean up of Newmont Mining's Bronzewing Goldmine.
The company had the contract to manage the clean up the site ready for its sale to new owners, View Resources.
Flying Doctor and PMH aid surprise delivery
June 21, 2004
Arriving home from a night shift in BGC’s Siberia Open Pits last Thursday morning, Kalgoorlie’s Warwick Hamilton was more than a little disturbed to see an ambulance pulling out of his driveway.
What he would soon to learn was that his partner, Lek Moss, had just given birth to a baby girl in their living room, seven weeks before she was due.
Lek and baby Sarah were stabilised at Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital but doctors felt it best to transfer them to Princess Margaret Hospital by Royal Flying Doctor Service in case complications developed in the premature infant.
However, during the flight Lek became unwell and because the Neonatal Unit at King Edward Memorial Hospital was full, mum and baby had to be split up, with Lek going to KEMH and baby Sarah was admitted to the Neonatal Unit at PMH.
For three days Warwick divided his time between the two hospitals, bringing progress reports back to Lek.
Mum and baby were finally reunited at PMH yesterday and both have been given a clean bill of health.
“This has been a real eye opener for me – I never dreamed we would end up here with our baby,” said Warwick. “It is just a huge relief that the RFDS and PMH are here when you need them.”
Both PMH and Royal Flying Doctor Service benefit from the Ruggies Recycling program, which involves recycling waste from mine sites throughout WA.
The program has raised more than $500,000 for PMH since it started in 1997.
In June last year the Ruggies Recycling program became a joint operation between the PMH Foundation and RFDS, with the funds to be shared equally.
For more information on the Ruggies Recycling program, contact Tony Fitz-Gibbon at PMH Foundation on 9489 1177 or visit the website www.ruggiesrecycling.com
Ruggies welcomes new Goldfields' members
May 11, 2004
Ruggies Recycling welcomed three new Goldfields’ mining companies to the program recently following a successful promotional campaign in the region.
PMH Foundation’s Tony Fitz-Gibbon, recently visited 21 mine sites in the Goldfields and North Goldfields to promote the program, which will now benefit both Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The new members include Goldfields Australia at Kambalda, Croesus Mining and Harmony Gold at Kalgoorlie and Mt Magnet.
Tony’s 5,000 kilometre journey, between January 27 and February 6, took him to Barrick Gold's Plutonic mine in the north, AngloGold's Sunrise Dam in the east and Lionore's Emily Anne mine at Lake Johnston to the south. During his visit, Tony presented 20 mine sites with plaques recognising their continued support for the Ruggies Recycling program.
Special thanks to Peter Wright of Thrifty car rentals in Kalgoorlie who provided Tony with a great deal on a Toyota Landcruiser for the trip and to Geoff Biddle for kindly donating two 200-litre drums of BP diesel.
PHOTOGRAPH
Melissa Hansen and Michael Hulmes from Barrick Gold Plutonic Mine with the plaque recognising their support of the Ruggies program.
Ruggies helping Flying Doctor and WA babies
May 4, 2004
Recent funds raised through the Ruggies Recycling program have been used to help the Royal Flying Doctor Service and seriously ill WA babies.
Donations from AngloGold, Worsley, Jubilee & LionOre have been used to buy a trans-cutaneous monitor for one of the WANTS cots (Western Australian Neonatal Transport Service), used exclusively by the RFDS.
The $20,000 machine will allow RFDS staff to constantly monitor the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the babies blood instead of having to prick them.
Waiting game for Kambalda baby
April 1, 2004
Bronte Daggers and her family are one of many Goldfields’ families who benefit each year from the Ruggies Recycling program. Bronte was born six weeks ago at Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital. The healthy baby girl was the second child for Carolyn and Iain of Kambalda who already have an 18-month-old son Cameron. But four weeks later, Carolyn knew that something was not quite right with Bronte.
She was unusually quiet and did not appear to be gaining weight as quickly as she should have been. A visit to the family doctor confirmed that Bronte had only put on 60 grams in three weeks. He also discovered that she had a heart murmur and referred them to a visiting paediatrician.
A week later the paediatrician confirmed the heart murmur and told Carolyn and Iain that he thought it was caused by a hole between the ventricles in Bronte’s heart. She was admitted to Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital that night but within hours her condition deteriorated and she was flown to Perth by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Tests at Princess Margaret Hospital revealed that Bronte has a rare congenital heart abnormality called Truncus Arteriosus, which means she not only has a hole between her left and right ventricles, but she is also missing one of the main valves in her heart. On average, doctors at PMH only see one baby every two years with the condition.
Because Bronte is still so tiny, surgeons can not operate for at least another month or until she puts on about a kilogram of body weight. The eight-hour operation will involve placing a tube or “conduit” containing a valve to connect the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery and placing a patch over the hole between the ventricles. There will be at least another two operations for Bronte down the track to replace the valve with a larger one as she grows.
Carolyn and Iain are now playing a waiting game in the Infants Ward at PMH while Bronte puts on weight and hopefully stays well for surgery. Because she is too weak to feed normally, Bronte is being fed by a tube into her stomach.
Luckily Carolyn and Iain’s family live in Perth, making the waiting game a little easier, but Iain will continue to commute to Kambalda over the next few weeks, where he works as a geotechnical engineer at the Goldfields St Ives Gold Mine.
New era for Ruggies Recycling in the Goldfields
January 21, 2004
The Goldfields’ mining community is being encouraged to get behind a project that is set to benefit both the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children.
The partnership between the two organisations signals a new era for the Ruggies Recycling program, which helps coordinate the recycling of waste at mine sites throughout WA.
Co-ordinator Ruggies Recycling, Tony Fitz-Gibbon, who will visit the Goldfields and North Goldfields between January 28 and February 6 to promote the program, said the amalgamation was the obvious way to solve the dilemma faced by the mining community of wanting to support both organisations.
“While PMH Foundation will continue to run the program, all funds raised through Ruggies Recycling will now be shared equally by RFDS and PMH,” he said.
RFDS spokesperson Michelle Fraser, said the Royal Flying Doctor Service was thrilled to be involved with Ruggies Recycling.
“The link between the two organisations is very strong with many PMH patients transported to Perth by the Flying Doctor,” she said.
“The funds raised from this worthwhile program will enable the RFDS to continue to ensure the best possible medical attention for our younger patients.”
The Ruggies Recycling program has raised more than $500,000 for PMH since it started in 1997 and has been used to purchase equipment for a number of areas in the hospital, including the neonatal unit, adolescent ward, megazone play area and the rehabilitation centre.
For more information visit the new Ruggies Recycling website at www.ruggiesrecycling.com or call Tony Fitz-Gibbon on 9489 1177 or 0428 185 550.
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