Rizwan Ali (middle) and his wife Saima (far left) pictured with Victoria Hospital Foundation CEO Sherry Buckler. (Twitter)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community support

P.A. pharmacist donates $24K to Victoria Hospital

Oct 15, 2021 | 12:05 PM

Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital has 13 new wheelchairs thanks to the generosity of a local pharmacist.

Rizwan Ali and his wife donated over $24,000. He’s lived and worked in the city for nearly 12 years and told paNOW he wanted to give back.

“I am trying to help our local community and the hospital is one of the main health care centers of the north,” he said.

Four years ago, Ali opened the Pharmasave Phamacy on second Ave W. and has for the past few years made a number of donations to help with upgrades at the hospital. With respect to the wheelchairs, he explained it was an issue he had noticed first hand.

“One time I was there [at the hospital] with one of my family members and I found there was a little shortage, or maybe it was busy on one of the floors,” he said.

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(Submitted/ Sherry Buckler)

Sherry Buckler, CEO of the Victoria Hospital Foundation, explained the hospital is always short on chairs.

“It is a constant struggle. It’s been years since we have purchased the last chairs. Some have broken down and can’t be repaired. And we just needed more to keep up,” she said.

Buckler described the new chairs as “excellent,” as they can handle a higher weight capacity, and are wider. They also come equipped with an easy safety lock so they don’t roll backwards when a patient is rising out of it.

“They are used every day when patients come in to the hospital. Many labouring moms need them when they arrive,” Buckler said. “Something so simple like this can make all the difference to a patients comfort and safety when they’re sick or injured and come to the Vic.”

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell