Sick Hawke's Bay children will be able to spend Christmas at home with their families, thanks to the fundraising efforts of a group of Woodford House students.
A $1700 donation, raised from holding dances, will buy a new portable Vital Signs monitor for the Hawke's Bay Hospital children's ward thattakes blood pressure, pulse and temperature.
The portability means nurses can take the machine on house calls - rather than parents having to bring their sick children in to the Hastings hospital, said children's nurse Pam Winfield.
"For most people it will just mean a Christmas at home with their families," she said. "It means we take the machine to the families rather than them having to come in, and for some of the families we can visit Waipukurau and save them a one or two hour round trip."
Woodford House Year 13 student Paige Bergin, 18, said the cause was chosen due to a number of students having conditions that needed similar treatment.
"There are a lot of girls in the school who have heart conditions," she said. "We wanted to give something to the community, so being this sort of item it seemed a good idea."
This was the third year students from the school had donated to the hospital.
Previous fundraising efforts included donating an oximeter and renovation of a room for newborns.
Hawke's Bay Hospital women, youth and children service manager Rika Hentschel said the donation from "kids to kids" was very special and would make a huge difference to a child if it meant being home for Christmas.
"It's fantastic to see a group of students working to raise money to help improve the lives of other children."
