Vernon Jubilee Hospital (VJH) Foundation is excited to launch its Light a Bulb appeal to help raise funds for an urgently needed second CT scanner. With only $900,000 left to raise toward the $6.3 million total and more than 2,000 people across the North Okanagan on a waitlist for CT scans—the community is already so close to ensuring patients get faster access to scans, diagnosis and treatment.
Local mom Leanne Ramsey knows the stress of that wait: She had 11 CT scans when she was diagnosed with cancer three times in three years.
“When you’re waiting for your CT scan, you feel so anxious for answers,” says Ramsey. “Any wait feels like an eternity.”
VJH has one of the busiest CT scanners in the province—operating 16 hours a day and performing more than 20,000 scans a year, even though provincial guidelines now require a second scanner after 14,000 scans. Right now, the average wait time is 68 days.
“Doctors need rapid access to CT scans to provide quick assessments and optimal patient care,” says Dr. Adam Weathermon, department head, Medical Imaging, VJH. “Stroke, cancer, trauma and emergency care are just a few areas where CT scanning can make all the difference. Having two scanners will mean more efficient care, less waiting and better outcomes for patients.”
A rare $1 million gift was the impetus for the VJH Foundation to begin a $6.3 million CT Scanner Expansion Campaign, and with significant early support, the foundation is almost there with only $900,000 left to raise to ensure everyone in our community has timely access to CT scans.
“This $1 million gift was so transformative in inspiring others to do what they could to help,” says Kate McBrearty, executive director, VJH Foundation. “We’re excited to see how close we are, and now we encourage the community to come together to help us get over the finish line this Light a Bulb season.”
Join the VFH Foundation to Light a Bulb and increase access to life-savings scans in the North Okanagan. Learn more and donate at https://www.vjhfoundation.org/light-a-bulb
Vernon Hospital Light a Bulb helps residents breathe easier
December 2021
When you look atop the Vernon Jubilee Hospital this holiday season you’ll notice something beautiful and bright. A brand new tree, featuring a bright white heart at the top, is a nod to the beloved white heart installed on the hospital roof at the outset of COVID-19, while keeping to the tradition of lighting a tree at the hospital for the annual Light a Bulb campaign.
“The new tree is not only a tribute to our healthcare and support staff who continue to work tirelessly, it also serves as a sincere thank you to our generous North Okanagan residents who support our holiday campaign year after year,” says Kate McBrearty, VJH Foundation executive director.
The new lighted tree has been designed and installed by Black & McDonald, the hospitals’ facility services provider.
Donations to the Light a Bulb campaign are starting to trickle in, with all funds raised going towards the purchase of two new ventilators and other urgently needed equipment in the hospital.
VJH Foundation president and chair of the 2021 Light a Bulb Campaign, Michael Kinghorn shares his gratitude for these generous contributions. “What also inspires us are the supporters who make gifts of $35, $50, $100 and more, every year,” he says. “They see that the centre of a healthy community is its hospital. Every gift, great or small, brings us closer to raising $275,000 for critical equipment at VJH.”
