The Professional Firefighters of Greater Victoria Community Foundation made a $25,000 donation to the pediatric and neonatal units at the Victoria General Hospital on Thursday.
The donation is part of a 10-year pledge the foundation made to donate $250,000 over 10 years to purchase equipment for the units. The foundation had previously made the same pledge in 2011, then renewed the pledge in 2021 after completing it.
Emma Carrick, manager of pediatrics and PICU at Victoria General Hospital, said donations like this ensure the units are able to buy the necessary equipment.
“We need donations like this in order to provide that equipment. We’ve got the staff, we’ve got the skill, but we need the equipment in order to do our job and provide that safe care to patients,” said Carrick.
“It’s all about quality, so the better the equipment, the higher quality of care we can provide our families here.”
Donations fund 80 per cent of equipment in PICU and 60 percent in NICU.
The units provide in-hospital care to more than 5,000 babies and children each year.
Firefighters from Saanich, Victoria, Oak Bay and Esquimalt did a drive-by of the hospital for the young patietns.
One of the donors had a personal connection to the donation.
“This year my family spent four weeks in the NICU and got to experience firsthand how large of an impact donations by our charitable foundations and other private donors make on the NICU and all the pediatric units,” said Taylor Britton, from the Saanich Firefighters Charitable Foundation.
“I’d like to thank everyone in our communities who supported our charitable initiatives this year, as well as the members of our Charitable Foundations who volunteered their own time. It is that support and effort that made this donation possible, and provide the amazing hospital staff here in Victoria with the equipment needed to provide our kids with the best possible care.”
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Laura Brougham
