THE latest machines for measuring ‘brain waves’ are now installed and being used in FNQ, thanks to a group of fundraising motorcyclists.
Almost 50 motorcyclists and motorists raised $54,000 in October last year to buy two new EEG machines for Cairns Hospital’s neurology department.
The Wayne Leonard’s Motorcycle Muster has now been held 17 times, and raised more than $947,000 in that time.
Cairns Hospital neurologist Dr Ian Wilson said the new equipment provided substantially improved high resolution cameras, screens and software, with the latest recording technology available.
“The EEG equipment is used to monitor people with epilepsy and other brain conditions in our clinics, but also in Emergency and ICU to assess brain activity in unconscious patients, including after traumatic brain injury,” Dr Wilson said. “Patients having repeated, unexplained events may undergo day-long (sometimes over several days) EEG testing to ‘catch’ the event and determine if the brain activity changes and is abnormal during the event, while others simply have a “snapshot” 30 minute recording of brain wave activity,” he said.
Heart-breakingly, babies and small children are among their patients – some of whom have genetically acquired conditions that impact on the brain’s development and cause severe seizures. Diagnosing and treating the seizures early is important to prevent further brain injury and give the child the best chance of recovery. The equipment also will be a vital tool in future research projects.
Sponsors Wayne and Rhonda Leonard were delighted to see the results of months of hard work.
“Knowing and seeing this equipment is being used. It really brings home to us why supporting our community is so important and that we can all make a difference in all sorts of ways,” Mrs Leonard said.
Foundation CEO Tony Franz, said not only was a great outcome achieved with the latest technology purchased, but the finale of the fundraising – a weekend at Undara in October last year, was a lot of fun.
“We’d particularly like to pay tribute to Wayne and Rhonda Leonard who have been behind this event from the beginning and they put a lot of their own time and effort and money into it. They are truly community champions and people we can all look up to,” Mr Franz said.
Photo: Dr Ian Wilson, Foundation CEO Tony Franz, Cairns Hospital senior neurophysiology scientist Linda Welch, Wayne and Rhonda Leonard.
