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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2007
Variety donates $10,000 to help families in need at RCH
New Westminster, B.C., September 20, 2007 — Variety – The Children’s Charity has donated $10,000 to establish an Emergency Response Fund for the Paediatric Patient Family Support Program at Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH). The Fund has been established to provide low income families with support while their newborn baby or child is hospitalized in either the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or Paediatric Unit.
Variety is a long-time supporter of RCH and has donated more than $1 million to RCH Foundation since 1990. Previously social workers at RCH had to request financial assistance on an individual basis which could lead to delays in providing support. RCH Social Workers, Cheri King and Roop Sahota, identified this opportunity and have worked closely with Variety and RCH Foundation to create this fund. The establishment of this fund with RCH Foundation will provide social workers with immediate access to funding to provide families in need with items such as accommodation, meals and medical supplies.
"We are very excited about this innovative project at RCH. We have worked with the RCH Foundation to set up this special fund that will reduce administrative costs and improve efficiency. Most importantly, it will allow social workers and nurse managers at RCH to access funding immediately to help families when and where they need it” says Barbie Hislop, Executive Director of Variety.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Variety on this fund. RCH Foundation has worked closely with clinical and social work staff at RCH to understand the priority needs for the hospital and the families and are so grateful that Variety was able to work with us to establish this fund,” says Adrienne Bakker, President & CEO, RCH Foundation. Farimah Shakeri, Chief of Social Work at RCH, adds that “this fund will make such a huge difference for families that are already in crisis and dealing with very difficult situations. This will help reduce stress and allow them to focus their energy on caring for themselves, their baby and their family.”
RCH is home to one of three Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the province that cares for the smallest and sickest newborns from across British Columbia. The High Risk Maternity Clinic provides care for complex, high risk pregnancies that often result in premature births. The Paediatric Unit at RCH is a 12-bed, general unit combining 5 isolation rooms and 7 general care beds and cares for young patients from newborn to 17 years.
Variety – The Children’s Charity is a non-profit charitable organization with a mission to raise funds and distribute grants for the purpose of inspiring hope, enriching lives, and building a better future for children who have special needs. Since 1965, Variety has raised over $130 million and is the leading children’s charity in the province for distributing individual grants to children and their families.
RCH Foundation is an independent charitable organization that raises millions of dollars each year to fund priority equipment needs and enhancements to patient care at Royal Columbian Hospital. This year the Foundation is raising $1 million for the annual Urgent Needs Campaign to fund priority equipment needs throughout the hospital and $2 million for the Heart to Heart Campaign to fund enhancements to critical cardiac care at RCH. Approximately 1.5 million people from Burnaby to Boston Bar depend on Royal Columbian to provide highly specialized care for major trauma emergencies, cardiac and neurosurgery, renal treatment, high risk maternity and newborn intensive care. For more information about the RCH Foundation or to make a donation, please call 604-520-4438 or visit www.rchfoundation.com
Variety Executive Director Barbie Hislop (second from right) and her team members Patsy Craig, Director, Heart of Variety Fund (second from left), and Barbara Stewart, Board Member (third from right), present a $10,000 gift for the Emergency Response Fund to Adrienne Bakker, President & CEO, RCH Foundation (far right), Farimah Shakeri, Professional Practice Chief, Social Work (far left), and Cheri King, Social Worker (third from left) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at RCH.
RCH Foundation Media Contact:
Susie Poulsen
Director, Marketing & Communications
Dir: 604.520.4808
Tel: 604.520.4438
Fax: 604.520.4439
Email: susie.poulsen@fraserhealth.ca
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