The Honda Foundation Assists Kid's Sleep

TULLAMARINE, AUSTRALIA – June 23, 2009: Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation was recently given $30,000 by The Honda Foundation, in conjunction with Burswood Honda in Perth, Western Australia, to purchase a Portable Sleep Lab System for Princess Margaret Hospital for Children.

The Portable Sleep Lab will be used to study children suffering from severe sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder characterised by pauses in breathing during sleep. Severe sleep apnea can be life threatening for babies and young children and requires immediate medical attention.

The sleep lab can be taken to the child’s home, avoiding a hospital visit and resulting in less distress. In the case of critically ill children, studies can be performed in the Hospital ward or the paediatric intensive care unit. The new sleep lab will increase the number of sleep studies undertaken as well as reduce pressure on waiting lists.

Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth is an internationally recognised paediatric facility that treats around 30,000 patients each year. Keeping up with the costs of rapidly changing medical technology presents an ongoing challenge for the Hospital.

Mr. Lindsay Smalley, Chairman of The Honda Foundation, said; “Medical experts advise that sleep apnea can result in many difficulties for kids, including abnormal growth, heart problems and high blood pressure. Some may also have difficulty learning and developing skills, which can affect their schooling.

“This sleep lab will ensure that Princess Margaret Hospital can carry out as many studies as possible to help treat more children in the future,” Mr. Smalley said.