$110,000 grant to benefit Children's Hospital

The Children's Hospital at Westmead will offer a very heartfelt thank-you to Medtronic Australasia on Wednesday 31 January following their donation of $110,000 to fund a Postgraduate Fellowship in Rehabilitation (Spasticity Management). This position will focus on assessment, management and evaluation of children with severe spasticity.

Medtronic is an international biomedical engineering company which specialises in research, design, manufacture and sale of instruments or appliances to treat pain, restore health or extend life. Medtronic was approached to fund this Fellowship as they supply a special pump which delivers medicine to spinal fluid in patients affected by spasticity.

The recipient of this Fellowship is Dr Adam Scheinberg, who will join the Rehabilitation staff at the Children's Hospital at Westmead this month. Dr Scheinberg is a qualified Paediatric Physician and is also qualified in Paediatric Rehabilitation. He will work with a team of therapists and other physicians to provide the best possible treatment for children affected by spasticity.

Records show that The Children's Hospital at Westmead treat over 200 children with significant spasticity, most of whom have Cerebral Palsy. A pilot research study was undertaken by Dr Scheinberg to assess the effects of Intrathecal Baclofen on patients within the Hospital. This research showed that this style of treatment was very successful and now, thanks to the funding provided by Medtronic, Dr Scheinberg is able to use these techniques he has developed to treat more patients at the Children's Hospital at Westmead.

The significant donation of funds from Medtronic allows The Children's Hospital at Westmead to continue providing the best possible care for the sick children of NSW and beyond.

Media is welcomed at the thank-you function for Medtronic on Wednesday January 31 at 3pm at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. In attendance will be representatives from Medtronic, Professor Kim Oates, Dr Stephen O'Flaherty, rehabilitation staff and the recipient of the Fellowship, Dr Adam Scheinberg.

For all media enquiries, please contact:

Julie Stromborg
Public Relations Officer
Ph: (02) 9845 3580
Fax: (02) 9845 3567
Pager: (02) 9845 0000 and quote page no. 6920