2016 Murray to Moyne Bike Ride

Murray to Moyne cyclists have been training hard to raise money for East Grampians Health Service. The two teams entered into this year’s ride are the “Cranks & the Defibrillators”; the riders from both teams will ride over 525kms in two days leaving from the Murray River at Swan Hill to finish at the Moyne River, Port Fairy.

East Grampians Health Service Community Liaison Officer, Mr. Danny Drake said “We have a dedicated and enthusiastic group of riders for this year’s Murray to Moyne relay bike ride, riders have been training well over 5 months now in preparation for the ride. The riders and support crew are actively fundraising for many weeks now trying to reach target of $25,000 which will help purchase a new Anesthetic monitor for the EGHS theatre.”

East Grampians Health Service Theatre Manager, Mrs Jane Smith said “This monitor will allow doctors closely observe your vital signs. This includes blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen levels in your blood and monitor your ECG. When you are anaesthetised it is also necessary to monitor the amount of carbon dioxide you breathe out, the level of anaesthetic gasses in your system and your brain activity to ensure you are properly anaesthetised.”

Mrs Smith highlighted that this this monitor is state of the art. It has a touch screen to operate and has the ability to print out measured observations following surgery to be placed in the patient’s history. “It makes monitoring patients during an anaesthetic, a more accurate and simple process with a very easy to use monitor and as it is a large screen easy to see the information on it”

Mrs Smith said “We are very grateful to the Murray to Moyne riders for donating their time to raise the money necessary to pay for this monitor, but I know that it will benefit the community at large providing a state of the art piece of equipment in our operating theatre.”

This year’s riders are Garry Brumby (Captain of the Defibrillators) and his team members Brendan Hinchcliffe, Ken McCready, Garry Tierney, Peter Armstrong, Carly Croton and Tracey Walters. The Cranks team is Alan Young (Captain); Michael Kelly, Lisa Haddow, Erin Hinchcliffe, Jeremy Tan, Amy Leeke, Carina O’Neil, Dr.Cody Passiera and Julien Knuppel. Both teams will be supported by Graham Bull, Les Ralph, Rob Keith, Ray Hurstfield, Leanne Culph and Dwayne Walters.

East Grampians Health Service Chief Executive Mr Nick Bush “once again this year it’s great to see a large staff involvement which is pleasing as it supports EGHS’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing in our community, I wish all the riders the very best with their fundraising efforts and with the ride from the Murray river to the Moyne river in Port Fairy and look forward to seeing them ride into, the beautiful township of Port Fairy.”

Danny Drake, Community Liaison Officer for EGHS asked that for the Ararat community to please support the riders fundraising efforts this year, their next fundraising event will be the Jailhouse Rock n Roll festival where they will be selling hot food, so please come along and show them your support. The riders are also selling raffle tickets and looking for sponsors, so please support them or drop into the hospital a collect a raffle tickets.

Donations can be forwarded to East Grampians Health Service, Attention: Danny Drake, PO Box 155 Ararat.