An Aboriginal health service in regional NSW is in shock after a massive donation, purportedly from one of Australia’s biggest stars.
The Armajun Health Service Aboriginal Corporation says a man named Harry visited the tiny Armidale clinic this week, and said he had been sent by actor Chris Hemsworth.
Armajun clinical coordinator Rachael Kliendienst said she felt a bit "dubious" at first.
"I thought he was a drug rep and I was going to go "not today thanks", but luckily I didn't," she said.
"He came in and he was just a neat, lovely gentleman. He said he had just finished filming a documentary with National Geographic and Mr Hemsworth about the brain.
“He had a truck full of medical supplies that they wanted to donate and he was sent by Chris Hemsworth and the National Geographic Team to find a clinic who may want it and we were chosen."
Clinical Coordinator Rachael Kliendienst says she was dubious when the man came into the clinic offering a donation. Then she saw the truck load of equipment. Source: Supplied
"My knees went"
Ms Kliendienst said she was led out to the car park where there was a truck full of medical supplies including an electric bed, x-ray lights, a stainless steel medical trolley, thermometers, weight and height machines, and more.
“I had to grab the side of the van to literally hold myself up as I said to Harry that I didn’t understand do we just pick something and Harry answered by saying 'if you want you can have it all', " she said.
"My knees went and I had to steady myself against the back of the truck.
“I cried. I explained that it’s never easy getting big stuff."
Ms Kliendienst said the community-run health service was a "tiny little clinic" which had "archaic" equipment.
"It will make a huge difference," she said.
She said she gave Harry a cuddle, "for a really awkward long time, for him".
"We pulled out all the stuff, like it was Christmas," she said.
Clinic coordinator Rachael Kliendienst says the donation included an electrical observation bed worth thousands. Source: Supplied
"They were all like the Mercedes versions of what we had - we had stuff we had been using for a really long time."
Ms Kleindienst said although she got the feeling the donors didn't really want the story public nor any credit, the team was so grateful it wanted to share the story.
"People at this point in time need to know there's still a lot of kindness," she said.
The National Geographic has been approached for comment.
