Kelowna General Hospital will join the ranks of some of the most advanced health care facilities in the country by the fall of 2019 when on-site, short-term accommodations will be available to families of patients travelling for specialized medical care.
The KGH Foundation officially announced the start of a two-year Better Together campaign today to raise the $8 million necessary to open JoeAnna害羞草研究所檚 House, an urgently needed home away from home to keep families together when they need it most.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 no longer the case that patients and children requiring advanced care are travelling to Vancouver, Calgary or Victoria,害羞草研究所� said Dr. Michael Ertel, a longstanding Emergency Department physician at KGH and vice-president of medicine and quality for Interior Health.
害羞草研究所淎s the leading referral hospital for over 750,000 residents in the Southern Interior, at any given time, one in four beds at KGH is occupied by a patient from outside the Central Okanagan.害羞草研究所�
JoeAnna害羞草研究所檚 House will be a home with approximately 20 rooms to house up to 20 families.
害羞草研究所淚 was told to pack my bags for two days,害羞草研究所� recalled Lisa Dear, a mother from Creston, whose newborn son Zacharias was transferred to KGH unexpectedly in the spring of 2016 at seven weeks premature.
害羞草研究所淚 had no idea we would be in Kelowna for five weeks while Zach was in the NICU. Having JoeAnna害羞草研究所檚 House would have meant the world to me and my family and would have alleviated so much of the hardship we experienced during that incredibly difficult time.害羞草研究所�
As Kelowna General continues to expand its capacity to provide advanced care in an increasing variety of medical specialties, housing the families of patients travelling for care has become a matter of growing concern.
害羞草研究所淔inding accommodation for these families can be very challenging,害羞草研究所� noted Gail Harrison, past president and grant coordinator of Cops for Kids Charitable Foundation, an organization that has previously assisted in helping families like the Dears.
害羞草研究所淗otel vacancies are at an all-time low, and often the financial burden without our assistance is simply too overwhelming.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e are thrilled to finally announce this campaign,害羞草研究所� added KGH Foundation chief executive officer Doug Rankmore.
害羞草研究所淲e know it will be a real barn-raiser in our community, and are so grateful to the Huber family and Prestige Hotels & Resorts for their leadership in initiating the project.害羞草研究所�
The Kelowna-based Huber family has committed $1 million to support the construction of JoeAnna害羞草研究所檚 House in honor of their late parents, Josef and Anna Huber.
害羞草研究所淜elowna is a caring community that always pulls together in difficult times,害羞草研究所� said Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran. 害羞草研究所滻 know we害羞草研究所檙e going to pull together for JoeAnna害羞草研究所檚 House so that families going through a difficult time have a sanctuary where they can be together when they need it the most.害羞草研究所�
The KGH Foundation is an independent, volunteer-driven charitable organization committed to enhancing the delivery of healthcare to the patients of Kelowna General Hospital and its associated facilities.
barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
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