Stawell Foundation donates gym equipment

For the first time, Stawell patients participating in rehabilitation programs will now have a complete range of gymnasium equipment to utilise for their strength training. 

The new equipment has been provided through a substantial $32,000 donation from Stawell Regional Health Foundation. Clients in oncology, cardiac and pulmonary groups at the Stawell Rehabilitation Centre gym space will all be able to take advantage of the new equipment, as well as physiotherapy and exercise physiology patients. 

More than 300 patients each year will be utilising the fit-for-purpose equipment which includes an elliptical cross trainer, dual pulley cable tower, leg press machine, dual leg curl/leg extension machine and additional dumbbells. 

Grampians Health Exercise Physiologist Brooke Palfreyman said the centre did not previously have such equipment. 

“Everything the Foundation has purchased here is additional equipment so it is already making a big difference to how we run our programs,” Ms Palfreyman said. 

“We try and progress our patients from this gym setting to the community gym setting and in the past that was probably more daunting because there was a substantial difference in the type of equipment we both used. 

“This new equipment bridges that gap and helps to ease any fear patients may have with using equipment in community gyms because they will be very familiar with it now.” 

Ms Palfreyman said she and her allied health colleagues were so thankful to the Foundation for their generosity. 

“As an example, we had been wanting a leg press machine for a few years now and never thought we would be able to get one so we are so thankful,” she said.