The smiling people in the Wangaratta Boomerang Bags craft group are making bags out of cotton and other fabrics donated by the community.

To some, this isn't a big deal.

Different sized shopping bags, or telemetry bags with over shoulder straps to hold devices insitu safely while patients have cardiac assessments and investigations have been the group's specialty.

Now, this beautiful group of dedicated volunteers in Wangaratta, who meet every week, and will be celebrating 10 years of service to the community in 2027, are making soft bags for patients that have undergone partial or full mastectomy surgery, and will be discharged from Wangaratta Private Hospital with a vacuum drainage system such as a bellovac in place.

These sensitively designed bags with a soft strap will hold a drain bag with dignity and comfort for the person needing to keep the drain tube in place after discharge from hospital until their review with the surgeon post operatively.

Leanne is one of the designers and sewing team members working on the project in their busy work space.

GP liaison officer Wendy Toppin visited boomerang bags about assistance for the patients and they accepted with great gusto.

If any other hospital wishes to order the single use telemetry bags, or the newly designed bag covers please contact Wendy on 0407 165 973 and she will put you in contact with the coordinator Maryanne Sargeant.

The items are free and will be donated to your hospital, and they only ask for the postage to be covered by the hospital ordering the items.

This will help towards costs to cover their annual "test and tag", insurances and other expenses.