The Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) Foundation announced its new fundraising campaign on Tuesday (April 4) and believe the public will help reach the goal.
The foundation’s CEO Allison Young announced the largest campaign in history with a goal of raising $40 million to advance health care at KGH.
“Health care has to change,” said Young at a press conference. “For patients and families, for the doctors, nurses, clinicians, administrators, and health care teams that are here today and work in this community. It’s important for you to know that change is possible when we come together.”
This campaign has been in the world for two years as the hospital has been listening to what the public, patients, and healthcare providers have had to say in that time.
“[The public] have told us there are great people providing care but the system is not working the way it should and that everyone deserves better,” said Young. ‘We’ve listened and we’re responding with KGH Foundation’s most ambitious fundraising campaign in our 40 year history. We’re committed, with you, to support the change right here at home. With this community support and together with our partners, we will fund advancements and care where it matters most.”
The KGH Foundation has already received $8 million of the $40 million goal, that it aims to reach in three years.
“We really wanted to make sure when we came to the community with a big ask like this, that we were including what was going to matter most to them when it comes to their healthcare,” Young told Capital News.”
While the public is being asked to help achieve the goal, the foundation believes teamwork is what will help them accomplish the objective.
“The pandemic showed us where we have challenges but also opportunities in healthcare,” said Young. “I think it’s made it very clear that healthcare is achieved best through partnership. Government investment is certainly important as is the investment of the local community and not just through donations but informing the type of care they want to see.”
The $40 million will be relegated over eight categories:
On top of that, the hospital would also like to purchase a brand new 3T MRI machine, which will help with waitlists and patient care because of its speed and accuracy.
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