New cardiac equipment is on order and renovations at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital’s cardiac unit can get started, thanks to a $1-million donation from an anonymous donor.
The donation, largest in the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation’s history, has covered the bulk of this year’s campaign to raise $1.8 million to renovate the cardiac care unit at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and to purchase new cardiac care equipment for NRGH and the Oceanside Health Centre in Parksville.
Janice Perrino, hospital foundation CEO, said when the donor heard about the cardiac campaign, she felt it was important that NRGH be able to start the cardiac department renovations right away and purchase of the equipment needed.
When completed, the cardiac project, which will begin in early 2019, will allow 95 per cent of pre- and post-surgical and procedural cardiac care to be delivered in Nanaimo and Oceanside, increase the number of examinations to an estimated 3,000 annually and reduce wait times for exams by as much as 50 per cent.
“It was such a moment because it was really unexpected and just such an incredible gift on so many levels,” Perrino said.
The donor wishes to remain anonymous, but Perrino confirmed it is a woman who lives in the central Island region.
“Bless her heart,” Perrino said. “Isn’t it often the way those that are the most able, they just don’t need any accolades. She knows what she did and she’s made such a difference here.”
The campaign had already received hundreds of donations, about $600,000, worth, since November. It was expected the cardiac campaign would take about a year to raise the $1.8-million target, but the campaign has allowed the hospital to order about $500,000 worth of new cardiac equipment and set money aside to start renovations.
“I’ve never had a campaign where we’ve been able to do that, so that was a first … we still have to raise about $200,000 to get to the $1.8M, but we’re hoping that people are still generous and still giving and when we’re finished that we’ll be able to move on to the next project,” Perrino said.
To learn more about the Light the Trees Christmas campaign or to make a donation, call 250-755-7690 or visit http://nanaimohospitalfoundation.com.
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