QEH Foundation raises $982,643 with its Big Day of Giving fundraiser
Funds raised will be used to purchase new equipment for the Charlottetown hospital
The CEO of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation says the organization is "so grateful" for the donations Prince Edward Islanders made to its annual Big Day of Giving fundraiser on Wednesday.
This year, Islanders donated $982,643 to the QEH Foundation, which will be used to purchase new medical equipment for the Charlottetown-based hospital.
"Islanders work hard for their money, and we truly appreciate when we are chosen as their charity of choice," said Tracey Comeau, the foundation's CEO. "I'm just so grateful to P.E.I. for making this happen."
The equipment purchased with the funds raised will help improve Islanders' access to medical care, according to a post on the foundation's website.
"Funding priorities include a software upgrade for the hospital's MRI machine to help reduce wait times and improve diagnosis, an Ortho C-Arm for orthopedic procedures, portable X-ray units for bedside imaging, and BiliLux lights for newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit," the post said.
"It's the babies that now don't have to be flown off Island because our NICU is equipped with the top equipment," Comeau said, adding: "Who doesn't want to have their care close to home?"
With files from Sheehan Desjardins