Best Local Charity : Victoria Hospital Foundation
The Victoria Hospital Foundation was started by a handful of people in 1985 with the sole goal of improving and advancing health care for the Victoria Regional Hospital. Now coming up on nearly 33 years, the Foundation has been instrumental through their fundraising efforts to aid the hospital. Their involvement has played a critical role in the major upgrades and advancements at the hospital over the years including the endoscopy suite, pediatrics, obstetrics, intensive care, a major bed campaign, the first CT scan for their patients and many more important improvements and enhancements.
Sherry Buckler is the Executive Director of the Victoria Hospital Foundation. She says every year they hold a radiothon to help a particular unit and put a focus on one area of the hospital with a great need.
“We aim to raise around $400,000 each December in order to purchase equipment for one unit of our hospital that needs help urgently. Over the past 12 years, our radiothon has been fortunate to receive immense support from the community and as a result, we have been able to purchase critical life-saving equipment.” says Buckler. “The last three years alone has seen our radiothon raise almost a million dollars for our surgeons, our intensive care and nursery and pediatrics.”
Recently, the foundation is looking to fund a children’s mental health playground within the hospital.