The St. Boniface Foundation Hope and Healing Radiothon returns Friday for its first live, in-person fundraiser since the start of the pandemic.
The annual fundraiser will also be taking over the airwaves on 680 CJOB from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Karen Fowler, president and CEO of the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation, says money raised through this year’s radiothon will go to a variety of projects, including the ongoing expansion work happening at the hospital’s emergency department.
The $141-million project, started in April, will see 18,600 square feet of existing space renovated at the ER and 86,200 square feet in new construction added.
Fowler said there’s a not-too-uncommon misconception that hospitals are entirely government-funded.
“In many cases, there are projects that are going on in the hospital … that are government funded,” she told 680 CJOB’s The START, earlier this week.
“But every once in a while, you know, there are projects that come up that they just need a little bit extra to take them over the top.
“A great example of that would be our emergency department redevelopment that’s going on right now.”
The work will see St. Boniface’s ER modernized including an expansion to the hospital’s central resuscitation area and the addition of a dedicated diagnostic imaging suite with a new CT scanner and X-ray machines.
There will also be a dedicated mental health treatment area added and a new ambulance entrance with a parking bay for 10 ambulances, once the finished ER opens in the fall of 2025.
Money raised Friday will go to more than infrastructure projects, Fowler said, with both care and research at the hospital set to benefit from the fundraiser as well.
She pointed specifically to the work happening at the hospital’s Albrechtsen Research Centre as an example of how donors can help.
“Albrechtsen Research Centre is rated the number one research centre in western Canada for 10 years in a row, and that is primarily because of support from the foundation donors,” Fowler said.
“Without that support, researchers might not be able to get funding at the national level.
“We often provide seed money for really important research projects that just need that boost to get off the ground.”
But most importantly, while hospital staff continue to work tirelessly through COVID-19 and now cold and flu season, Fowler says donations can bring a much-needed boost of morale to those on the front line.
“Our hospital staff — you know, doctors, nurses, health care aides, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, everybody — they are so grateful for donor support,” she said.
“They know that donor support can truly make a difference in terms of their ability to offer compassionate patient care and their ability to do innovative research.”
Those tuning into 680 CJOB during Friday’s radiothon will hear stories from patients, donors and healthcare workers about life-saving patient care and ground-breaking medical research at St. Boniface Hospital and there will be chances to win prizes throughout the day.
Donations can be made online at bealifeline.ca or by calling 204-237-7647.
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