€15,000 in just 15 hours - a Donegal woman's campaign to buy much-needed items for healthcare workers

A Donegal woman was so shocked to discover that healthcare workers buy their own scrubs that she set up a gofundme page to help with costs.

The response has been overwhelming. Edel MacBride had an original target of €1,000 but in only 15 hours donations have exceeded €15,000 and they are still coming in.

Ms MacBride explains why she set up the page.

“I read a post by a healthcare worker who bought a bed sheet last weekend to have some scrubs made,” she says on her gofundme campaign page. “I was appalled. 

“Later I read about a Donegal shirt making family company transferring their skilled team from shirts to scrubs. I rang and asked to pledge some scrubs and realised others may like to do the same.”

It was at that point that she had the idea to set up the campaign.

“Our front line health care staff are risking everything and in fear of uniform shortages,” she said. “How nice would it be to have some scrubs gifted with your name attached. 

“The factory are producing them at a non-profit cost of €40 a set, top and trousers.”

Ms MacBride points out that gifting scrubs will: help solve an urgent need; show a genuine kindness and thank you; and provide much-needed work in a third-generation textile firm in Donegal.

Anyone who like to find out more about the campaign or to make a donation can go to the #PledgeScrubs gofundme campaign page.