Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxiliary President, Ann Veyvara-Divinski sits in one of the new lab chairs as Laboratory Charge, Shanda Hewitson (L) demonstrates drawing blood with Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation Board Director, Joan Vaughan holding the chair's control panel.

Hub Staff

The Saugeen Memorial Hospital in Southampton is the proud owner of two brand new lab chairs, thanks to the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxilliary. The lab chairs, called phlebotomy chairs, are used for patients to use while having blood drawn.

Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxiliary President, Ann Veyvara-Divinski said the money raised to pay for the chairs, which cost $6,884 for the two, came from fundraising initiatives such as the Auxiliary's annual charity golf tournament, plant sale and tag days.

“Each year we give away between $13,000 and $15,000,” said Veyvara-Divinski. “We get a list from the corporation and the Auxiliary decides what they're going to fund that year,” she added.

The chairs arrived at the hospital less than two weeks ago and Laboratory Charge, Shanda Hewitson said previously they just had a La-Z-Boy. “It wasn't even a real phlebotomy chair where you can draw blood, so it didn't have the adjustable arms,” said Hewitson, explaining that the new chairs are fully adjustable and can move up and down.

“To bend over all day is really hard on my back so it's [now] ergonomic,” Hewitson said, adding that it would also be helpful to elderly patients or patients who have difficulty getting in and out of a chair. “You can actually raise it up a little bit so they can just kind of step off instead of trying to pull themselves up,” she said.

The new chairs can also lay patients flat if they become faint from having blood taken. “[The transition is] easy and smooth and it's fast,” said Hewitson, adding that the chairs were a welcome purchase and that patients were really liking them.

Also new to the hospital is a medication cart for the pharmacy, worth $1,000, again thanks to the Auxiliary.

“This is a lot better cart,” said Pharmacy Technician, Jenny Mackey who explained that it was lighter and easier to maneuver than the previous stainless steel one, as well edges prevented items from rolling off.

Veyvara-Divinski said that's the goal of the Auxiliary, to find items that are not only going to be helpful to the patients, but to the staff as well.

(L-R) Pharmacy Technician, Jenny Mackey, Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxiliary President, Ann Veyvara-Divinski and Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation Board Director, Joan Vaughan, with the new medication cart that was purchased with funds from the Auxiliary.