Ringwood home to new MND equipment facility

More than 3000 pieces of essential medical equipment for MND patients will be made available to Victorians free of charge after MND Victoria opened its new Ringwood warehouse.

MND Victoria has opened a new resource facility in Ringwood.

A new warehouse equipped with more than 3000 pieces of essential equipment for people battling Motor Neurone Disease (MND) has opened in Ringwood.

The warehouse, opened and operated by MND Victoria, will connect health services and patients with medical equipment free of charge.

Natalie Parke and her husband Bruce said they were “really excited” with the new equipment library.

Bruce and Natalie Parke welcome the opening of a new MND equipment facility in Ringwood.

Bruce was diagnosed with MND in 2021 and has since required the use of multiple pieces of equipment stored in the warehouse.

“We have used the equipment a lot,” Mrs Parke said.

“It makes so much sense to have a library like this because MND changes so much.”

Mrs Parke said constantly purchasing medical equipment was costly and often had long wait times before it could become available to a patient.

“Sometimes it can be a six month wait and we don’t have that time,” she said.

“All these pieces of equipment make a difference and as soon as we need them, they are there.”

The warehouse is packed with thousand of pieces of equipment.

MND Victoria chief executive Kate Johnson said the service received more than 140 requests every month for equipment loan, often with multiple items on each form.

“This service will really help quickly get equipment to the people who need it the most,” she said.

The warehouse will be home to wheelchairs, hoists, nebulisers, remote call bells and other equipment.

When an item is requested for a patient, a team will load up the equipment and deliver it to the patient.

The equipment is stored in the Ringwood and transported to patients and medical facilities that require it.

Ms Johnston said more than 2250 items were on loan to patients out of the 3336 items stored in the warehouse.

Labor MP Iwan Walters, who is the parliamentary secretary for disability, officially opened the warehouse on Monday morning.

“This facility can really improve how people live life to the fullest,” he said.

“This facility will benefit Victorians now and into the future.”

Mr Walters also said this cause hits even closer to home after fellow Labor MP Emma Vulin made the shock announcement that she was battling the disease.