St John of God Geraldton Dr Martin Lee donates to staff and visitors who paid insurance for vehicle break-ins

Jessica MoroneyGeraldton Guardian
Camera IconDr Martin Lee with his eight-month-old Maya An Qi Lee at St John of God Hospital in Geraldton. Credit: Jessica Moroney/Geraldton Guardian

A local GP has gone above and beyond to help his colleagues and patients by raising more than $1100 to help them after their cars were vandalised in a series of break-ins in hospital carparks.

Dr Martin Lee has worked as an anaesthetist and general practitioner at St John of God for about eight years and works on call at Geraldton Health Campus. In his own time, Dr Lee raised around $1100 to help those affected by the break-ins.

Since December, 11 vehicles have been targeted at St John of God and four at Geraldton Health Campus while hospital staff worked night shifts and patients were in hospital.

Dr Lee was admitting patients when he overheard three distressed nurses discussing how their excess was going to cost around $300-$500.

“I thought ‘that’s a little bit unlucky’ and I emailed everybody in the hospital — all the nurses, doctors, any staff — and said ‘send some money to this account, we need to raise about $1000-plus’,” Dr Lee said.

Read more...

The money was able to cover the insurance excess of three nurses, and helped cover some costs for a specialist midwife and three fathers who were visiting their newborn babies.

“We did it because I think it’s nice to feel like your workplace cares for you and is thinking about you,” Dr Lee said. “For the fathers visiting their newborn babies (we did it) to try to reduce that slightly bittersweet experience of seeing your baby and then coming out to smashed car.”

Camera IconDr Martin Lee with his eight-month-old Maya An Qi Lee at St John of God Hospital in Geraldton. Credit: Jessica Moroney/Geraldton Guardian

Although Dr Lee admitted he had experienced vehicle damage himself, he said it was important to be compassionate and look at the bigger picture.

“I think it happened because they themselves were restless and angry, because a lot of it was vandalism rather than taking money, and that’s the deeper issue,” he said. “So how can I, if possible, try to help that bigger problem. I can’t solve the problem myself, but maybe we can think about being part of that solution.”

St John of God nurse Laura Eleanor Phillips-Rees was one of the staff members who found her car broken into after finishing a night shift. Although she only had to pay a $100 excess, she said it was a nice feeling knowing someone cared enough to help.

“I’m hugely grateful,” she said. “I didn’t know he was doing it until he handed it out when he asked how much my excess was.

“I was really fortunate I only had a tiny excess but it was still really nice to have some help to cover it. We come to work every day and we should be able to leave our cars and things knowing they’re going to be safe and not vandalised or ruined.”

Ms Phillips-Rees said it was amazing someone was thoughtful enough to think of their colleagues.

“To have to work to cover those costs isn’t nice. You’re here working all night, you finish night shift and you go out to find your pride and joy’s been smashed. It’s disheartening, and Marty went above and beyond to help us,” she said.

St John of God Hospital management indicated last week they would be increasing security by boosting patrols and cameras and trimming vegetation.

Camera IconDr Martin Lee at St John of God Hospital in Geraldton. Credit: Jessica Moroney/Geraldton Guardian

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails