Every year, the Matching Green Classic and Sports Car Club donates profits from its annual car show to a charitable cause. This year, they selected the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), inspired by one of their members who works at the hospital.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) team have all had training around supporting the best environment for babies, to improve their long term neurological development and outcomes. In a neonatal setting, loud noises can have a negative impact on pre-term babies, increasing stress and therefore blood pressure and heart rate. Loud noise can also result in decreasing oxygen saturations and increased oxygen consumption.
As a result, the team used the funds to purchase equipment known as a ‘SoundEar’ to visually highlight when noise levels begin to increase on the unit so that everyone is aware and can immediately take action to decrease the volume of noise.
Janelle Gardner, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) ward manager (pictured, with the SoundEar equipment), said: “We are very thankful to the Matching Green Classic and Sports Car Club for their kind donation.
“The equipment we have purchased will help us to continue to best support the babies we care for.”