© Courtesy of Campbell River Hospital Foundation
With your help, we can help keep families close when it matters most.
Imagine your loved one needing vital medical care, life-saving surgery, or cancer care. Now imagine driving more than 200km to access that care. Each day, families from North Vancouver Island and the North Coast of B.C. travel four hours or more to receive medical care at Campbell River Hospital. For nine years, Hiltje Ramsay and her husband David travelled from Port McNeill to Campbell River for David to receive Chemotherapy.
“There were times when David was hospitalized that I just had to leave him because I couldn’t afford to stay one more day. I think that a home like this would make all the difference in the world, something that wouldn’t break the bank and that we didn’t have to worry about check-in and check-out times, knowing that you were going somewhere familiar. Every medical procedure was traumatic, not knowing how sick he would be. Those comforts would mean a great deal as we never knew what we would be up against.” —Hiltje Ramsay, Port McNeill
During moments of crisis, this travel time, combined with finding appropriate accommodation near the hospital, can contribute to increased emotional and economic stress for both patients and their families. For these reasons, some will also postpone or forgo medical care. Unfortunately, when they do visit our hospital, their health is at greater risk.
Today Campbell River serves 32 communities and is the first point of referral for emergencies and illnesses, including industrial and workplace accidents, heart attacks, strokes, respiratory problems and other diseases.
The Just Like Home Adult Lodge will be a haven for patients and loved ones who find themselves travelling to Campbell River for specialized care or procedures that are not available in their home communities. This 10-bedroom lodge will feature separate sleeping rooms with private washrooms, a communal living space, shared kitchen and laundry facilities. The plans also include areas for Recreational Vehicles with hook-ups and a walkway with easy access to the hospital.
“We knew that there was a need for this type of facility. What we did not realize until we reached out is just how great that need was. We are proud to be a part of a project that will make access to care easier for the patients and their loved ones in all of the rural communities that our hospital serves.” —Myra Egan, Board Chair, Campbell River Hospital Foundation
With support from Island Health granting a 40-year tenure over the vacant land adjacent to the Campbell River hospital, the Campbell River Hospital Foundation (CRHF) and the Strathcona Regional District have collaborated to make this project a reality. CRHF will fundraise the capital for the estimated $2 million project. At the same time, the SRD will provide management and ongoing operational costs, with nominal fees charged to guests using the lodge.
About Campbell River Hospital Foundation
The Campbell River Hospital is a team of professional staff and community-minded leaders who are passionately committed to inspiring, enabling and celebrating community support for Campbell River Hospital. With your help, we can help ensure that our doctors, nurses, and other key members of our healthcare team have the tools and equipment they need, so you and your loved ones can continue to receive first-class health care right here at home.
Watch Hiltje and David’s story here: vimeo.com/islandhealth
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The Campbell River Hospital Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to raising funds to support our hospital and Yucalta Lodge through equipment purchase, staff education and special projects that help enhance the service and treatment of patients and residents.
