Hundreds of thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours of volunteerism and hundreds of purchases to improve quality of care for Battlefords Union Hospital patients and home care clients.
The Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation was celebrated April 25 with tours of hospital departments, equipment demonstrations and presentations by foundation board members and supporters.
The lobby of the hospital was bustling as tour groups gathered to head out in the care of their hospital staff guides, and well-wishers socialized and shared a lunch at the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation Day celebration.
April 2013 marks the 21st year of fundraising by the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation and the first year the foundation has been able to bring Battlefords Regional Home Care under its fundraising umbrella. This latest addition had come about due to an estate bequest, and a second amount from that same estate was announced on Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation Day.
In his capacity as executor of the estate of the late Vic Pearsall who died on Sept. 25, 2011 at age 96, lawyer Harvey Walker presented $330,000 to the foundation during BUHF Day. Added to the $107,142.85 presented in December of 2011, the total of his gifts to date is $437,142.85, said Walker.
"For those who did not know Vic," said Walker, "he was a 60-plus year resident of Cochin and a businessman who, along with his wife Lydia, helped develop Cochin as a once-thriving service centre for lake-goers."
Walker said Pearsall had a substantial estate and when he drew his will he decided the bulk of it would go to charitable and not-for-profit organizations. The lion's share of those gifts was to go to the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation.
The first gift of $107,142.85 allowed the BUHF to include Battlefords Regional Home Care in its mandate of support and the Victor Pearsall Home Care Fund was established. This fund has allowed for the purchase of medical equipment and staff training.
"Vic would have been most pleased," said Walker.
The second amount, $330,000, has been allocated to the purchase and acquisition of surgical instruments and medical equipment for the new endoscopic suite, which should be operational later this year.
Another significant cheque came into the possession of the BUHF the day before BUHF Day, representing the continued support of the Battlefords Area Tribal Chiefs Community Development Corporation in the form of a $50,000 contribution to both the intensive care unit and emergency department at BUH.
The funding will allow the purchase of a new bronchoscope to be used in ICU and replace the current ventilator in the ED. BATC CDC has been supporting BUH Foundation since their inception in 2007.
"We are very pleased to be supporting the purchase of the bronchoscope and ventilator and grateful for BATC CDC for making this possible. We recognize the many organizations BATC CDC gives back to within our community and thank them for choosing BUH. The equipment they fund truly makes a difference in our hospital," said Jerry Wintonyk, BUH Foundation board chair.
BATC CDC has previously helped to fund equipment such as a tissue processor for the laboratory, monitoring equipment for the ICU, an endoscopic tower for the surgical department, and a BiliSoft Phototherapy System and an infant incubator for Women's Health and Birthing Centre.
With over $520,000 in funding, they have helped to purchase many vital pieces of equipment to enrich patient care at BUH.
"We are very pleased to have these new pieces of equipment available at BUH. Both the bronchoscope and ventilator will provide an enriched level of patient care and allow our medical teams to treat patients quickly, safely, and effectively. Thank you to BATC CDC for supporting these purchases," said Shelly Horsman, Director of Acute Care Services at BUH.
Through the purchase of the new bronchoscope and replacement ventilator, BATC CDC will help to ensure the safest and best possible care is available at BUH. The bronchoscope is used to see inside a patient's airway and lungs and will be used for investigative purposes and in the removal of foreign bodies. As BUH did not previously have a bronchoscope, patients would have to be sent to a larger centre for this level of care. The ventilator is a replacement item for ED, but will now have the capability to care for children as well as adults.
