$16M in ‘Gratitude’ to benefit Northern patients

Kristal Baker enjoys a family outing in the playground with her husband Ryan, son Kyran and daughter Keegan. Kristal, a previous surgical patient at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre, supports the upgrading of the operating suites and the introduction of Minimally Invasive Surgical (MIS) suites — improvements which are part of the new Northern Lights Health Foundation Gratitude Campaign.

Northern Lights Hospital Foundation launches largest fundraising campaign in its history

Story by Kerri Robins; photo courtesy Greg Halinda Photography

FORT McMURRAY — With the launch of its $16-million Gratitude Campaign — the largest fundraiser in its history — Northern Lights Health Foundation has undertaken an impressive slate of improvements in support of Northern Lights Regional Health Centre.

“It begins with health and family, and care close to home,” says Foundation Chair Melanie Antoine, in introducing her organization’s eight main goals:

• Creation of new palliative care suites;
• Creation of a minimally invasive surgical suite;
• Lobby expansion and renovation;
• Support for an Early Investments project that will look at delayed childhood development (pre-natal to four-years) and help foster healthy, strong families;
• Support for the Healthy Schools Initiative so health-care providers can properly address and assess various health concerns in Wood Buffalo’s school-age children (K-12) including obesity rates, inactivity and smoking;
• Renovations to the multi-purpose clinic to increase capacity for specialist appointments with a start date still to be determined;
• Renovations to Community Health Clinics in Conklin and Anzac to create a more family-friendly atmosphere and enhance service delivery;
• Renovations to Continuing Care. Thanks to an anonymous donor, this project began last year, and so far the flooring has been replaced and furniture is on order.

(Thanks to many generous donors, the final three renovations projects mentioned above have already been fully funded)

“Wood Buffalo is community-driven, and we have to make it what we want it to be,” says Foundation Executive Director Susanne Chaffey. “Good health is where it all starts, and we’re here to help our communities participate in great health care now, and in the future.”

With regards to creating a new minimally invasive surgical suite, former surgery patient Kristal Baker adds: “Nobody wins with a prolonged recovery period. Not the person undergoing the operation, their family or their employer. If I had been able to take advantage of a minimally invasive surgery, my recovery time would have been reduced to less than two weeks.”

Chaffey says she’s excited about the campaign.

“Our foundation is the connection, or link, between community and health services. With the diverse populations in our region, our campaign philosophy is the belief that healthy communities unite us all.”

Donate. Volunteer. Get involved. For more information, please visit www.gratitudecampaign.ca