The gift was made by Ian Brereton, founder of Brereton’s Bakery and Coffee Lounge in Nathalia.
Mr Brereton said he hoped the donation would shine a light on an area of health care that often went unnoticed.
“It’s probably something you don’t hear as much about,” he said.
“You hear a lot about cancer and things like that, but you don’t hear as much about this.
“Probably quite a few of them (newborns in need of specialised care), too many of them, don’t make it.
“I like kids, especially little ones, so why not put it towards that?”
GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp said the donation would help fund critical equipment.
“We really appreciate Ian’s generosity and the thought that’s gone behind his gift,” he said.
“It will mean we can buy some additional equipment, a particular cot that will allow us to care for babies who are sick and unwell and need support with their breathing, and some additional heart monitoring equipment.
“That’s important because it allows us to provide more services locally, so families don’t have to travel to Melbourne for specialist care.”
GV Health Foundation chair Stephen Merrylees said the donation would make a meaningful difference.
“It’s tremendous to have someone so embedded in the community who wants to show appreciation for things that really matter, especially something like infant health care, which probably doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves,” he said.
“We are all born, but not everyone is lucky enough to come straight home from hospital after birth, so this really highlights the need to support services for our youngest and most vulnerable patients.”
If you would like to donate to the GV Health Foundation, email GVHealthFoundation@gvhealth.org.au
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