The Foundation would like to send our heartfelt thanks to The John and Barbara Armour Charitable Foundation for their recent generous donation to the Hospital Foundation.
We also extend special recognition again to Robert Lacey, a long time resident and donor, for a recent donation from The Robert Lacey Charitable Gift Fund.
These donations were received through the services of Gift Funds Canada.

At the January 27, 2022 Hospital Foundation meeting the Directors approved $186,000 to fund new operating room equipment.
     New lighting will be provided for both operating rooms.  The current operating room lighting is 30 years old, having been installed with the original hospital construction in 1993. The new lighting will be more efficient and will provide a brighter environment for those working in the operating rooms.
    A Rapid Infuser and an Arctic Sun Warming-Cooling Unit will also be purchased with this funding. A Rapid Infuser provides high-speed delivery of warmed blood and fluids to patients. This is often critical during trauma and emergencies.  It is a leading medical device to combat hypothermia and blood loss.  The Arctic Sun warming-cooling unit is used to induce a "mild hypothermic state" in patients. Studies have shown that slowing the body's metabolic processes by therapeutic hypothermia in patients who are experiencing insufficient blood flow due to cardiac arrest, stroke or brain trauma can increase the chance of a good outcome by 30 to 40 percent. This is a non-invasive system that will also re-warm patients in a controlled manner.

The Foundation also approved funding of $21,000 to purchase an Intellivue Neonatal Monitor for the maternity department. The particular model to be purchased will provide remote monitoring of mother and baby away from the bedside, which will allow freedom of movement for patient while still being monitored by nurses. 

This year, in 2021, the Foundation was able to commit $216,000 to purchase equipment and training. Most of the equipment has now been delivered although two medical air dryers have been delayed due to the current global issue in shipping.
 
Two major pieces of equipment were purchased to replace machines that were malfunctioning and nearing the end of life.
 
The cataract surgery team was doing 13 cases a week and over 50 cases per month when the old cataract machine gave up the ghost.  A loaner machine from Lions Gate hospital filled the gap until a new machine purchased by the Foundation was delivered in January 2021. And the Emergency Room ultrasound machine had to be replaced when it began losing power when unplugged which made it difficult to perform bedside ultrasounds. The replacement was received in May 2021.

All donations to the Powell River Hospital Foundation are used to purchase equipment and training for the hospital and extended care facilities.  The Foundation's operating costs are paid from the interest earned on our endowment fund, not from charitable donations.