A recent addition of almost $200,000 has put the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) Auxiliary much closer to its fundraiser goal for plans to expand the health centre’s neonatal intensive care unit.
The auxiliary’s latest 50/50 draw added an extra $197,000, bringing the organization almost halfway to its fundraising goal of $5 million for the NICU.
“Each year, more than 2,000 babies are born at RVH and almost 300 of those babies require extra specialized care in our NICU,” says Lise McCourt, RVH Auxiliary president.
“In our current NICU, each baby has only about 35 square feet of space dedicated to them, their family, and their equipment. Best practices suggest a minimum of 215 square feet per baby.”
The auxiliary holds monthly draws to support its commitment to RVH’s Keep Life Wild Campaign.
“With fundraising campaigns like our community 50/50 draw, the RVH Auxiliary can support our NICU’s need to grow from one common room for 12 bassinets, patients, family members and caregivers to separate rooms so life-saving care can be delivered to newborns in surroundings that allow for privacy and manoeuvrability around equipment,” says McCourt.
Throughout the month of March, the auxiliary plans to give away $14,000 in three new early-bird draws. The next grand prize draw is on March 30.
Tickets can be purchased until 11:59 p.m. on March 29 online, at the lotto booth in RVH’s food court (Level 1) Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., or at the Georgian Mall Community Services Kiosk on March 28 and 29 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
RVH Foundation launched the Keep Life Wild campaign in November of 2022 with the goal of granting RVH $100 million to build a health-care system for Simcoe Muskoka.
The campaign is focused on supporting three areas, the first of which is expanding RVH’s regional clinical programs and specialized care for people from across Simcoe Muskoka.
The funding will also be used to build a new health-care facility in Innisfil, the largest community in the region without its own community hospital, and help innovate care by supporting the application of research breakthroughs at the bedside and through leading-edge medical education.
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