By Kayla Bruch

Give a Little Life day raises $390K

Dec 5, 2014 | 7:58 PM

Cheering and smiles filled the front lobby of Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital on Friday evening as staff found out the pediatric and nursery units will receive $390,000 raised on Give a Little Life day.

Carole Gregoryk, vice-president of integrated health services, was acting CEO for Cecile Hunt just for Give a Little Life day, She said she wanted to thank everyone for their incredible support.

“It’s a bit overwhelming, you don’t realize the support that you really have from our community until something like this goes on,” she said. “With this type of equipment … we can really care for our babies and our little ones that come into us and our teenagers, all of the kids.”

Gregoryk said they have different kinds of equipment on their list, from security systems to incubators, and proper equipment to intubate the little ones.

For 28 years, Lynn Blocka has worked at the hospital. Now, she is the nursing unit manager of obstetrics. She said this money will allow them to purchase necessary, up-to-date, equipment.

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“We are in need of replacing our equipment it works just fine, but we need to upgrade, we need to go with new technology and we need to be able to pass that on to our patients and help them to get a great start in life,” she said.

Blocka said fundraisers like Give a Little Life day are very important to the children in the care of nurses at the hospital.

“The staff, they advocate every day I think, on behalf of our moms and our little ones, but you know getting the word out there in events like this is absolutely critical,” she said.

The pediatric unit provides health services to a large service area, with people travelling from areas as far away as Black Lake.

“We hope that we can support them not only emotionally and physically through the labour and birth process, but support them too if their little ones aren’t born as healthy as maybe they should have been,” said Blocka.

Sherry Buckler, executive director with the Victoria Hospital Foundation, described how she felt about the money raised in one word, proud.

“I would say I’m proud of this community, proud that this community once again stepped forward and then wrapped their arms around this hospital and made it possible,” she said. “We are exhausted, but we are elated today.”

Buckler was extremely grateful for all that people have contributed so far.

“I’m very surprised and I’m very excited, were at $390,000 that is an incredible amount of money and money is still coming in,” she said.

Joey Gobeil told paNOW that the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers from the Saskatchewan penitentiary raised money at work, with a final total of $3,275.

The correctional officers also visited children in the pediatrics ward with a stuffed dog dressed up as a corrections officer.

Give a Little Life day may be over but Buckler said they are still accepting any donations.

“We will still take donations that will go towards Give a Little Life for the pediatrics and nursery and they [the public] can do that be visiting helpthevic.ca or giving us a call at [306-765-6105].”

kbruch@panow.com

On Twitter: @KaylaBruch1