A $7,500 gift from the Dorchester General Hospital Foundation made it possible to purchase a Stryker Big Wheel Stretcher for the hospital’s emergency department.

This specialty stretcher, which can accommodate up to 750 pounds, is padded with a thicker, extra comfort mattress to redistribute a patient’s weight. The stretcher’s built-in scale helps the nursing staff weigh patients without having to move them to a separate scale. A fifth wheel, located in the center of the stretcher, makes it easier to transport patients to other areas of the hospital.

Ida Jane Baker, President of the Dorchester General Hospital Foundation, comments, “This stretcher fills an important need for the emergency department so that all patients, regardless of size, can receive comfortable care while they are here.”

In photo: Cathy Weber, RN, Manager of Emergency Services for Dorchester General Hospital, (left) and Amy Brockson, RN, Clinical Coordinator, (right) thank Ida Jane Baker, President, Dorchester General Hospital Foundation, (center) for the Foundation’s gift that was used to purchase a specialty stretcher for the hospital’s Emergency Department.