By Oliver Lees
Sunbury resident Andreas Beyer will now be able to receive life-saving treatment in the comfort of his own home, all thanks to the Rotary Club of Sunbury.
Last week a team of Rotary volunteers dropped off a hospital bed to Mr Beyer’s home, which will allow him to receive dialysis treatment without having to venture to St Vincent’s Hospital.
Rotary Club of Sunbury international chair Janine Reinking, who organised the donation, said she was pleased to be able to give back during the pandemic.
“Rotary is always willing to help the community in any way they can,” Mr Reinking said.
“When we were contacted by someone from the Men’s Shed in Sunbury, we knew we would be able to find a way to help out.”
After testing positive for COVID-19 in June last year, Mr Beyer’s health deteriorated rapidly.
With an underlying health condition, Mr Beyer’s kidneys failed and he required regular dialysis treatments at St Vincent’s Hospital.
“I would take an early train at around 6am and by the time my treatment was done I wouldn’t get home until maybe 4pm, depending on the train schedule,” he said.
“They were highly professional [at St Vincent’s], but the reality is I still needed to lie in a hospital bed for five hours while the treatment was happening.”
My Beyer said he was “very grateful” to be able to continue his treatment from his Sunbury home, which he can now initiate while he sleeps, therefore freeing up his afternoons.
“Having a bed like this will improve my quality of life quite considerably,” he said.
“I need the ability to have a bed that is able to elevate me slightly above the machine to make it more effective.”
