In recent years Lakeridge Health has deemed toiletry items as non-essential, which can often leave patients in the hospital without the necessary items for personal hygiene. A group of nurses at Lakeridge Health Bowmanville started to provide these items to their patients at their own cost. The last 3 years there has been a toiletry drive at St. Joseph's Church to help these nurses provide the simplest of items, for example toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and soap, among other things.
The Bowmanville Rotary Club has also helped each year, the first year providing funding to purchase shelves and storage bins for the donations the nurses received, and we continue to help them financially, supplementing the items the nurses need to help take care of their patients.
Rotarian Amy Barney (L) presents a cheque to support the Lakeridge Health Bowmanville Toiletry Drive