A state of the art robotic device is helping stroke patients walk again following a successful £365,000 fundraising campaign by the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity.
The ‘Walkerbot’ campaign was funded in just 20 months thanks to generous donations from individuals, businesses and community supporters.
The Hocoma Lokomat machine is the first of its kind to be installed at an NHS hospital in England and is now helping patients at Royal Bournemouth Hospital Stroke Unit get back on their feet.
Dr Louise Johnson, consultant therapist for stroke at University Hospitals Dorset said: “I can’t quite believe the Walkerbot campaign has come to an end and that we are now able to offer people in East Dorset access to such an incredible piece of technology as part of their rehabilitation with us.
“The science behind what we do in stroke rehabilitation is always evolving, along with our understanding of how best to support patient recovery.
“It’s fantastic for patients, but equally exciting for our staff who are committed to providing excellent care. I’m looking forward to working with the team over the coming weeks and months as we embed this within our stroke and neuro rehab services.”
The state-of-the-art rehabilitation machine, backed by more than 440 studies, provides highly intensive physical gait rehabilitation for patients affected by stroke.
The robot-assisted therapy is designed to challenge patients to overcome their limitations to increase their recovery.
Sara Brammall, managing director at supplier Summit Medical and Scientific said: “Congratulations to the fantastic fundraising team at University Hospitals Dorset, and a huge thank you to all those who contributed to the campaign.
“This device will make a big difference to the lives of stroke patients and their families, who deserve access to the very best rehabilitation possible.
“We are very proud to have played a part in bringing such beneficial equipment to the hospital and look forward to seeing patients making great progress.”
Karen Smith, fundraising manager at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity added: “The Walkerbot appeal has been such an exciting project for us and we are delighted that stroke patients now have access to such an incredible piece of technology.
“The support we’ve received during this campaign has been phenomenal and I cannot thank each and every supporter enough for making donations, taking on challenges and doing what they can to support the hospital. ”
