PEI

Stream-a-thon for Charlottetown hospital tops fundraising goal

Prince Edward Island's Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Stream-a-thon raised $636,468 Sunday, surpassing its funding goal.

Money will purchase equipment for neonatal intensive care

Patsy MacLean, QEH Foundation Board Chair, left, and with QEH neonatologist Dr. Beth Ellen Brown hold the ceremonial cheque at the conclusion of the Stream-a-thon. (QEH Foundation)

P.E.I.'s Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation raised $636,468 during an online fundraiser Sunday.

That surpassed its funding goal for the purchase of medical equipment for the provincial neonatal intensive care unit in Charlottetown.

"Completing this funding is an incredible accomplishment for P.E.I.," Patsy MacLean, chair of the foundation, said in a news release.

"With the pandemic, we pivoted from our traditional QEH/Eastlink telethon to a shorter online virtual event to help Island families with the tiniest patients who needed the [neonatal intensive-care unit]."

MacLean said more families can now benefit with the new advanced equipment, such as omnibeds, infant mechanical ventilators and a new central monitoring system for staff to continually monitor vital signs of their patients.

The Stream-a-thon was hosted on the foundation's Facebook page, YouTube channel and on the Eastlink Community TV channel.

More from CBC P.E.I.