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10th annual Give a Little Life Day raises $393,239

Dec 4, 2015 | 5:34 AM

The 10th annual Give a Little Life Day was a huge success.

Funds raised will go towards the purchase of seven telemetry units for Victoria Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which serve as important heart monitoring systems for patients with heart or respiratory conditions.

Carol Gregoryk, vice-president of integrated health services for the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (PAPHR) said the machines they currently have are on the last legs of their life and they need to be replaced.

“We can’t get parts for them anymore, nobody else is really using them in the province so as a result when we get people that need a telemetry unit and are well enough to move on to another unit other than the ICU we are not able to keep a close eye on them,” she said. “Telemetry allows to keep an eye on you in another part of the hospital so it is really important that we have those machines.”

Various donations were made to the Give a Little Life Day initiative during the early morning hours. Les Mewis and Bob Twyver with the Prince Albert Rotary Club stopped by the Victoria Hospital Friday morning to present a cheque for $10,000 on behalf of the Rotary Club.

“One time or another everybody is going to come in and out of this place whether it is for friends or family or for their own needs and so it’s absolutely imperative that everybody support the hospital as they can,” said Mewis.

Les Nemish made a donation Friday morning on behalf of SaskTel TelCare for $1,500 plus a $200 donation from the Klassic Cruisers car club. Nemish said it is important to pay it forward.

“It benefits everybody right,” he said.

Students at Rivier Academy Catholic Independent Historical High School also made a donation to Give a Little Life Day. Grade 11 students Breanna Pochipinski,16, and Lauryn Chao,16, stopped by the Victoria Hospital Friday morning on behalf of their fellow students to drop off their $300 donation.

In the afternoon, the Northern Light Community Development Corporation showed up with a cheque for $42,000. 

Blake Charles, general manager, said their goal is to give back to charities like Give a Little Life Day as much as they can.

In fact, 25 per cent of the profits from the Northern Lights Casino is donated, and it’s their job to distribute it.

“Since its inception in 2000, I think we’ve been able to distribute about $72 million—over $72 million—for worthwhile causes such as this one,” said Charles.

Shirley Henderson, a board member from Montreal Lake, said the hospital is crucial to many parts of the province.

“It accommodates our northern people very well, people from as far as Fond-du-Lac and Meadow Lake, the surroundings areas…Everyone comes to the Vic Hospital in Prince Albert,” she said.  

Gord and Jill Rawlinson made a donation of $50,000.

Anyone interested in making a donation can still do so online at www.helpthevic.ca or by contacting the Victoria Hospital Foundation office at 765-6105.

 

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