The Vernon Jubilee Hospital (VJH) Foundation is praising the community after another successful fundraising campaign.
The latest important hospital fundraiser saw more than $135,000 donated to purchase a Giraffe, which is an essential piece of equipment for premature and critically-ill babies.
The state-of-the-art incubators can stabilize a baby’s body temperature and are equipped with critical infant-sized resuscitation tools.
They also act as an isolation bay, protecting against infection and managing exposure to light and nose, which are both essential for the growth and development of preemies.
“We’re truly grateful for everyone who supported our goal of giving VJH’s tiniest patients the best start possible,” said Kate McBrearty, executive director of VJH Foundation.
“It was heartwarming to hear donors share stories of grandchildren born early who are now healthy teens; of gifts given to honour family members who worked in VJH pediatrics.”
One of her favourite donations, she explained, was a cheque that got straight to the point with a marking of “for the Giraffe.”
“The hospital touches everyone: our community's personal connections to being born here, or the generations that were helped is what makes this special,” McBrearty added.
VJH now has two Giraffes in its Women’s and Children’s department, which is important because the hospital is the third-busiest in Interior Health with over 800 babies, including 10 sets of twins, born there last year.
According to McBrearty, community partners played a vital role in this fundraising effort, including Tim Hortons’ Smile Cookie campaign and the Have a Heart Radiothon.
An anonymous donation of $20,000 and a $10,000 contribution from Gord and Linda Ball also significantly amplified the community’s impact on the campaign.
“We are continually awed by the heart and dedication of our community,” McBrearty said.
“Together, we aren't just meeting healthcare needs – we are ensuring that the next generation gets the strongest, healthiest start possible.”
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
