Echuca Lions Club has been working with the Campaspe area ambulance stations for five years now, with the bears used as travelling companions for kids who have required medical attention by ambulance officers.
The trauma teddy program is not unique to the Lions; the Kyabram and Rochester ambulance stations also provided with crocheted versions of the teddies by community groups.
Echuca, Kyabram and Rochester ambulance officers all have the trauma teddies available for their patients, with about 50 a year supplied by the Lions club.
Campaspe’s Ambulance Victoria area manager Amelia Kohn said the bears were used in all sorts of situations, but were a calming influence in the ambulance.
"It’s a good distraction in the back of an ambulance for kids who are a little traumatised by the experience,“ Ms Kohn said.
“If we need to perform a procedure we do things on the teddy bear first and explain what we are doing before working on the child.
“They are extremely handy for keeping the kids pre-occupied.”
Trauma teddies are not only used in ambulance scenarios, they are commonplace with the police and fire brigade.
Lions club president Laurie Stewart said the bears were also used as a reward this year for the Lions club junior public speaking program.
Students who were nominated to be part of the program received a teddy bear as a keepsake.
