The West Coast Charity Walkers, an informal solidarity organization created by foreign residents in Vale da Telha (Aljezur), on the western coast of the Algarve, who enjoy taking walks and having a drink, this week offered 26 new wheelchairs to Hospital de Portimão , to be used in all your services.
The donation, valued at around 2300 euros, was the result of the amount raised in September, during a humorous event promoted by this group, which consisted of a tour of several bars from Arrifana to Vale da Telha, bringing together fifty people, great part of them wearing costumes.
In total, 2.905,63 euros were raised, which led to the purchase, in England, of 25 wheelchairs. A person inspired by the initiative ended up donating a 26th chair, as well as a walking frame, which will be used in the hospital's Orthopedics Service. The donation also included 50 gel bags for thermal therapy.
The handover took place in front of the hospital's main entrance, and the wheelchairs were received by Luisa Arez, assistant clinical director, and by nurse Arsénio Gregório, representing the Head Nurse. Representatives of other hospital services that will benefit from the offer were also present.
This fundraiser was mainly the work of Cath Baker, inspired by similar events taking place in her native Lancashire, England. Four years ago, another of his solidarity projects raised funds to buy nine wheelchairs for the Orthopedics Service at the hospital in Portimão.
The idea of donating wheelchairs came after a visit to the Oncology Day Clinic. Cath explains: “On my visit, I saw a lady very ill after a chemotherapy session. She was barely standing but there was no wheelchair to take her to the car. That broke my heart and I felt I needed to do something!”
The idea was “to choose a serious cause, such as raising funds for the hospital, but adding the fun detail of making a round of nine selected bars, giving each one a sip or two, all accompanied by laughter and jokes. The bar owners happily joined us, agreeing to make donations themselves for every drink sold».
Cath admits that after "so much liquid refreshment," some of the hikers were a little "wobbly at the end" of the round. "But at least they knew they helped raise money so that some of the hospital's patients could move around more easily," thanks to wheelchairs purchased with those funds. "That's well worth a few headaches the next morning," she concludes, good-naturedly.
The wheelchairs, all bearing a stamp saying “Donated by Vale da Telha Charity Bar Walkers”, were transported from the United Kingdom by the company Algarve Removals, which waived its 700 euro tariff.
Cath added that, thanks to all this generosity, there is now €736,34 to spare, which will be used “to buy other equipment for the Oncology Unit. I've already bought a camera they asked for and now I'm going to talk to those responsible to define what else can be bought with that money».
Four of the wheelchairs, 20 gel bags for thermal therapy and a digital camera were immediately destined for Oncology, which triggered this entire solidarity initiative.
It was also agreed with the hospital responsible that 10 chairs, the walker and 30 bags of gel go to Orthopedics, six chairs go to the Emergency Room and the remaining six for outpatient consultations.
A hospital spokesperson said: “We are thrilled with the generosity of Mrs. Baker and the people of the Vale da Telha area. There was a huge shortage of wheelchairs and this fantastic donation will benefit the entire hospital».
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