26 November 2010
Doctors and audiologists (hearing specialists) who work at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust have donated 55 hearing aids to a charity to help deaf children in Sri Lanka.
The hearing aids, which belonged to patients who now have newer digital models, were donated to Helplanka – a charity based in Carshalton – that has been helping children in Sri Lanka since 2005.
Sam Goonetillake, the Chief Executive of the charity, and Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington and Patron of Helplanka, collected the hearing aids from St Helier Hospital today (26 November).
The hearing aids were officially handed over by Karen Breen, the Trust's Director of Operations and Natasha Porter from the audiology team.
Karen Breen said: "We're delighted to be able to donate these hearing aids to such a good cause. Although we no longer need them, they will make a world of difference to the children in Sri Lanka."
Mr Goonetillake will be travelling the 5,454 miles to Sri Lanka in December to deliver the hearing aids to the Nuffield Deaf School in the city of Jaffna. He said: "I would like to thank the staff at St Helier Hospital for their generous donation of hearing aids which will make a real difference to their lives of deaf Tamil children in the city of Jaffna.
"I'd also like to thank Tom Brake for his continued support of our work. Helplanka aims to help to help all communities in Sri Lanka for the long term."
Tom Brake MP said: "I'm very proud to be the Patron of Helplanka, and would like to thank the team at Epsom and St Helier hospitals for donating these hearing aids – we know their support will be greatly appreciated by the children of Sri Lanka. It’s amazing to think that something that is no longer of use to patients here will do so much for children overseas."
For more information on Helplanka, visit www.helplanka.co.uk.
