Hospital Ball Success Raising over €21,000 for Wexford “MRI – Now” Project
Saturday the 19th of November was a night for celebration for all of the wonderful staff at Wexford General Hospital, over 400 people gathered for the 2016 Hospital Ball in Clayton Whites Hotel. A very glamourous evening with all men in black tie and the ladies sparkled.
Wexford General Hospital staff successfully held an annual “Hospital Ball” up to the mid-nineties which was supported by the local business community, local press, management, consultants, staff and friends for many years fundraising for essential care facilities. The return of the Hospital Ball was a coordinated effort, in conjunction with “Friends of Wexford General Hospital”, along with hospital management Lily Byrnes and Professor Quigley, and a number of Wexford General Hospital staff members have successfully ensured a return of the Hospital Ball to answer the immediate need for an MRI scanner; Wexford “MRI – Now” project.
The WGH staff members include Brian McGrath, Gina Monahan, Peter Murphy and Roisin Ffrench all of whom have successful promoted to bring back this festivity event and over a year ago the committee engaged Catriona Murphy to volunteer as the event and fundraising coordinator.
A lucky lady took away €1,000 cash door prize to spend as she wishes and every table received prizes. Dancing went into the small hours thanks The Troubadours where many more spot prizes were given away. The glamour was pictured all night long with an endless line of people queuing for the Magic Mirror selfie.
Professor Colm Quigley with great pride described his round up of the event “The 400 people who attended the Hospital Ball in aid of the Wexford MRI Now project raising over €21,000 for this much needed equip and the real added value of this event has been the tremendous boost to staff morale.
This gathering gave all the staff a lift in spirit who over the last eight years have worked under difficult conditions and great pressure trying to maintain the best possible levels of patient care standards despite the pressure. We are determined in Wexford General Hospital to improve patient care and maintain high standards, along with extending our further services.
We are hoping this event represents the point of where the hospital starts to meet the future with greater confidence and we look forward to the same event next year.”
Ciarán Sheridan, Chairman of Friends of Wexford General Hospital attended the event also, “Saturday night last was a truly amazing night, amazing for all the hospital staff that attended, amazing for all the network of supporting people and Companies that also attended and supported, an amazing result for the MRI – Now campaign with over €21,000 raised on the night in a display of generosity and celebration.
I am so impressed by how the entire event was organised, by the support from the whole hospital, and from all the supporting business in Wexford. This is such a great start to our fund raising efforts for the new MRI, a vital piece of New Equipment that is urgently needed in Wexford Hospital. With upwards of 4,000 MRI scans being performed outside of the County each year, this is a vital resource that needs to be based within our Hospital, locally and now.
The HSE has agreed to fund the bulk of the cost on this MRI, however we need to raise €250,000 urgently, so that we can commit to the ordering of this scanner and get plans approved for the construction of the specific structure for this super magnet.
We need everyone’s help on this, if any workplace or club or social group are looking for a really worthwhile cause for some charitable work in this festive period, then this is without doubt the most worthy cause there is.”
The Hospital Ball Committee wish to thank everyone who assisted and are especially grateful to the hotel staff at Clayton Whites Hotel, the corporate table sponsors Wexford County Council, Sam McCauleys, AIB and many supporting local businesses, GP’s, County Council Representatives who all contributed with donations all of which were featured on the advertising screens during the event.