Community funds CT Scanner for the QEH Emergency Department

January 29, 2024

Emergency physician Dr. Nicole Green stands outside of the QEH emergency department. The department will get a new $1.3 million CT scanner later this year thanks to generous donor support.

CHARLOTTETOWN – In the fall of 2023, the QEH Foundation announced a campaign to fund a CT scanner for the QEH emergency department. Following an enthusiastic response from donors, the full $1.3 million cost has been raised in a matter of months. Emergency physician Dr. Nicole Green said it is heartwarming to see the community coming together to advance emergency care at the QEH.

“On behalf of all staff here at the emergency department, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all QEH Foundation donors,” says Dr. Green. “You are who make this possible. This equipment will both make our jobs easier and our patient care safer for years to come.” The CT scanner is used for the diagnosis of critical illness, injuries and trauma, and to assess the extent and severity of a condition. The procurement process for the new CT scanner has begun and it is set to arrive at the QEH later this year.

Foundation Board Chair John Gaudet says donor support is more than just money for new equipment, it is a message to patients and staff that the Island community is behind them. “We’ve received donations from across PEI and beyond,” says Gaudet. “From large gifts to our youngest donors giving their birthday money. We are proud to work with such kind individuals who want to make a difference in health care.”

The QEH Foundation’s Friends for Life campaign continues, raising funds for other priority medical equipment needs throughout the hospital. To donate, click here

For more information:

Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956

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2023 Holiday Gift Guide

Celebrate the season of giving with a gift that gives back! Gifts of all sizes from our kind and caring community help ensure Islanders receive the best health care possible, closer to home. This year, we’ve compiled a list of meaningful gifts that will not only bring joy to your loved ones but also help make a positive impact in the lives of Islanders.

Check out our Holiday Gift Guide below! For even more ways to give, you can visit https://www.qehfoundation.pe.ca/ways-to-give/

In lieu of a physical gift, make a donation in honour of someone who has made a difference in your life, whether it be a family member, a friend, a leader in your community, or even a health care hero who has helped care for you at the QEH. Simply include their name and contact details as well as a personalized message (optional) when you make a donation and we will mail them a card letting them know of your caring gift.

From trendy clothing to home decor, Lillibet’s has a ton of gift options for the special people in your life. Lillibet’s Gift Shop is located in the QEH lobby and proceeds from any purchase is donated to the QEH through the QEH Auxiliary.

Looking for something to gift the QEH staff member in your life? A gift card to the Auxiliary Coffee Shop for morning coffees and much needed pick-me-ups. Proceeds from the coffee shop are donated to the QEH through the QEH Auxiliary.

Support local by supporting a community fundraiser this December. Gift a Poinsettia from Van Kampen’s or a Christmas Angel from Norton’s Jewellers, purchase tickets for you and a friend to an Island Jubilee Show, or take the family for hot chocolate and a holiday light show at Cow’s Creamery. Check out our QEH Foundation Community Facebook page for all the fundraisers currently taking place!

Just like a subscription, you can give the special gift of monthly donations for a whole year on behalf of a loved one. Monthly giving is a wonderful way to support the QEH Foundation! It is also a convenient way to spread your donation into manageable amounts over one or more years, ending in a significant contribution. Visit our Monthly Giving page to learn more!

Every year, our Annual Friends for Life Campaign focuses on raising funds to purchase priority medical equipment to assist the QEH family in providing the best health care possible. Support from the community enables us to purchase life-saving, up-to-date medical equipment and technology to care for all Islanders in times of need. This year’s campaign is raising funds for a dedicated CT scanner in the emergency department. At an estimated cost of $1.3 million, this new CT scanner will be an incredible gift for patients and health care staff in the QEH.

For even more ways to give, visit https://www.qehfoundation.pe.ca/ways-to-give/

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Campaign to Bring CT Scanner to QEH Emergency Department

NOVEMBER 30, 2023

CHARLOTTETOWN – Transporting a patient from the QEH emergency department to the CT scanner involves three hallways, many corners and several doorways. This long but necessary journey for imaging takes critically ill patients far from the hospital’s well-resourced trauma room. The CT scanner is used for the diagnosis of critical illness, injuries and trauma, and to assess the extent or severity of a condition. Physicians and staff desperately want a CT scanner within the emergency department, and many Islanders are determined to fund it for them.

QEH emergency physician Dr. Nicole Green says it is enormously stressful for nurses and physicians who accompany unstable patients to the CT scanner, knowing they are leaving the safety of the emergency department and its equipment behind. Having a scanner within the department would not only improve patient safety, but it would also improve working conditions for staff of the emergency department.

“Isolation from the resources of our trauma room significantly increases the risk to patient health,” says Dr. Green. “I can’t describe the feeling of sending your patient for a scan and then hearing an overhead announcement for a code blue in the CT scanner.”

Having a dedicated CT scanner in the emergency department will also allow more rapid access to essential brain imaging for stroke patients, as time is crucial in stroke treatment.

Michelle Hughes, wife, Momma, incurable cancer thriver

Grateful patient Michelle Hughes is a wife, mother, and terminal cancer thriver who has leant her support to the campaign. She was diagnosed with an ultra-rare terminal cancer in 2021 after being rushed for a CT scan from the emergency department.

“That CT was the first step to a diagnosis,” said Hughes. “It also started my journey to just live; seeing and creating joy in the often overlooked. One of my joys in life is helping others and right now, Islanders need our help in a big way.”

The majority of medical equipment at the QEH is funded by donations. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has launched its annual Friends for Life campaign to raise funds for the many medical equipment needs of the QEH, including the CT scanner for the emergency department.

The cost for a CT scanner is $1.3 million, funds that cannot be raised without many kind people coming together to make it a reality.

The QEH Auxiliary has kicked off the campaign with a leadership gift of $100,000. The Auxiliary is a volunteer organization whose main sources of income are three shops located in the lobby of the QEH: Lillibet’s Gift Shop, Royal Pantry Eatery, and Auxiliary Coffee.

To donate to the QEH Foundation’s Friends for Life Campaign, please call the Foundation office at 902-894-2425, go online to www.qehfoundation.pe.ca or mail a cheque to the QEH Foundation, PO Box 6600, Charlottetown, PE C1A 8T5.

For more information:

Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956

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QEH Foundation Gala Auction raises $363,435

NOVEMBER 18, 2023

QEH Foundation Board Chair John Gaudet, right, with Mark Cormier, VP of Community Relations with Cavendish Farms, the Presenting Sponsor for the QEH Foundation’s Yuletide Gala Auction.

CHARLOTTETOWN – Applause filled the ballroom of the Delta Prince Edward on Saturday night as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Foundation held its annual Yuletide Gala Auction. The event raised $363,435 to fund medical equipment needs at the QEH, and the celebrations didn’t stop there.  

Presenting sponsor Cavendish Farms has signed on as presenting sponsorship for the event for two more years. This is an incredible commitment to Island health care from a longtime supporter of the QEH Foundation. 

The live auction fun was complemented by a special celebration with grateful patient Michelle Hughes who took to the stage to thank members of the QEH health care team who had impacted her life as a proud mother living with ultra-rare stage-four terminal cancer.  With members of her health care team in the room, Michelle asked each to stand and be celebrated by more the more than 250 guests in attendance. 

Michelle Hughes addressing the audience of donors and sponsors to say a special thank you.

“Through my many visits to the QEH, and on my journey to a diagnosis, I’ve received countless tests. You name it, I’ve had it,” said Michelle. “I know that medical equipment at our hospital is there because of kind people like you. Thank you for making a difference in health care in PEI and for being a part of this evening with me.” 

John Gaudet, QEH Foundation Board Chair, says events like the Yuletide Gala are not just fundraisers, they’re reminders of the power of community and the care that Islanders feel for one another.  

“The donors, sponsors, and attendees here tonight have funded an infant simulator, a pediatric wheelchair, and so much more,” says Gaudet. “Every donation tonight will advance the health of our community, and that is something to celebrate.” 

The QEH Foundation gratefully acknowledges the heartfelt community effort that went into making this memorable evening a success.

For more information:

Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956

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The W.H. Tidmarsh Foundation Supports Men’s Health Care in PEI

JUNE 20, 2023

From left: Larry Sider, Director of The W.H. Tidmarsh Foundation; Jack Simmonds, Chair of The W.H. Tidmarsh Foundation; Dr. Daniel Costa, QEH Urologist; and John Gaudet, QEH Foundation Chair

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation announced a significant donation in support of men’s health delivered at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Jack Simmonds, Chair of The W.H. Tidmarsh Foundation, announced that the Foundation is donating $500,000 in support of the Provincial Urology Service at QEH and overall men’s health care in the province.

“We chose urology as it closely matched the benefactor’s original intent to provide for a men’s community care home in Charlottetown,” said Simmonds. “We appreciate the Rotary Club of Charlottetown’s additional donation in honour of Mr. Tidmarsh.”

The Tidmarsh Board designated the donation with $300,000 for current urology care needs, and $200,000 to establish a named endowment fund to support future care of Islanders, in keeping with QEH Foundation’s tagline Care Today for Tomorrow.

W. “Harry” Tidmarsh was born in Charlottetown in 1882 and was a successful businessman, operating lobster canneries across the Island, a fox farm, and a wholesale business. In addition, he was the Founding President of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown. Mr. Tidmarsh, through his Will, formed The W. H. Tidmarsh Foundation upon his passing in 1960. 

Dr. Daniel Costa, QEH Urologist, says their team welcomes this generous gift and this new equipment will enhance care through the use a new Optical Urethrotome, Resectoscopes, and a Thulium Laser, along with the named endowment fund to allow planning for future annual needs.

“We perform approximately 900 surgeries per year and some of the common treatments we deal with are diagnosing and treating prostate, bladder and kidney cancers, bladder infections, kidney stones, and urinary tract issues,” says Costa. “The new Thulium Laser will be a game-changer for patient care. This new laser can break down kidney stones much quicker and can take on larger stones than the equipment we have. The equipment is also smaller, quieter, and portable. Thank you to everyone involved with The W.H. Tidmarsh Foundation and the Rotary Club of Charlottetown for making this incredible gift.”

Corrine Hendricken-Eldershaw, President of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown, was in attendance and stated the Club was pleased to donate an additional $40,000 toward the Thulium Laser in recognition of Mr. Tidmarsh as the Founder of the first Rotary Club in PEI.

“Not only was Harry Tidmarsh a successful businessman, he saw the need for professionals to meet in a community-minded focused social gathering,” says Hendricken-Eldershaw. “In 1917, Mr. Tidmarsh, along with three close friends, established PEI’s first Rotary Club – the Rotary Club of Charlottetown and he became the Founding President. We are honouring him today by making this donation toward the new laser that will help all Islanders, men and women, who need this service.”

Mount Herbert’s Ken Pierce spoke about his recent experiences as a patient with prostate cancer.

“In 2020 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer when blood tests revealed I had increased levels of PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen),” say Pierce. “I was referred to QEH Urologist Dr. Michael Mulligan and then placed in the capable hands of Radiation Oncologist Dr. Larry Pan, Dr. Aneita Head and staff in the PEICTC. I received over forty radiation treatments and have had a spectacular recovery and hope by sharing I can assist others to recover.”

John Gaudet, Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, thanked the two organizations for their kindness toward helping address the equipment needs at the Island’s largest hospital equipment.

“On behalf of Island patients and their families who need urology services we say a sincere thank you,” says Mr. Gaudet.  “Your kindness will improve care to Islanders today and we will see the impact well into the future.”


Background

 W. “Harry” Tidmarsh

“W. Harry” Tidmarsh was born in Charlottetown in 1882.  He and his wife, Josephine (nee Blake) lived at 11 Churchill Avenue in Charlottetown, now designated as a heritage home ‘Tidmarsh House’.  His business professionincluded being a lobster packer, broker and an exporter. At one time, he owned six lobster canneries including one in North Lake and Campbell’s Cove and he shipped his product around the world. He also ran a successful fox farm in Lewis Point as well as a wholesale business in Charlottetown. He formed The W. H. Tidmarsh Foundation through his Will when he passed away in 1960. 

Rotary Club of Charlottetown

W. Harry Tidmarsh is the Founding President of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown. He and three close friends; namely, W.A. Stewart, H.M. VanBuskirk, and Walter S. Grant held an organizational meeting in September 1917. The Rotary Club of Charlottetown was founded a month later.  It was/is PEI’s first Rotary Club. W. H Tidmarsh served as its first President and remained active for 43 years. Today, PEI is home to four active rotary clubs located throughout the province and membership is open to everyone.

QEH Provincial Urology Service

QEH is home of the Provincial Urology Service performing approximately 900 surgeries per year.  Common treatments include diagnosing and treating prostate, bladder and kidney cancers, bladder infections, kidney stones, and urinary tract issues. There are three QEH urologists including Dr. Daniel Costa, Dr. Michael Mulligan and Dr. Paul Hartman as well as a team of nurses and support staff. 

New Urology Equipment

Thulium Laser – $160,000

We are pleased to soon welcome a new Thulium Laser to the QEH Operating Room. The Urology team is excited to have this latest technology in place that will be a game-changer for the Island’s provincial urology services. The new laser can break down kidney stones much quicker and can take on larger stones than the previous could. The new laser will be smaller, quieter, and portable.

Resectoscopes – $160,000

Instrument inserted through the urethra and by a urologist to cut out tissue usually from the prostate – this new equipment helps the physician exactly see where the tissue needs to be cut.

Optical Urethrotome $17,500

Optical urethrotome will help improve narrowing of the urethra using this special telescope through an endoscopic procedure. The QEH now has two of these devices and the third one will allow for more efficient use of OR time and allow for back-up equipment. 

For more information:

Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956

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Harry MacLauchlan Memorial Golf Tournament Exceeds $1 Million for the QEH Foundation

JUNE 15, 2023

The Harry MacLauchlan ‘Great Day’ Fore Health Memorial Golf Tournament has reached more than $1 million in cumulative fundraising after a successful 20th anniversary tournament on June 14th. Celebrating this milestone are, from left, Wade MacLauchlan and Brenda MacLauchlan, representing the MacLauchlan Family; Mike Hennessey, Rotarian and Event Co-Chair; John Gaudet, QEH Foundation Chair; and Jamie Currie, Rotarian and Event Co-Chair

The Harry MacLauchlan ‘Great Day’ Fore Health Memorial Golf Tournament, presented by Fair Isle Ford, has reached $1 million in cumulative fundraising for the QEH – a milestone that was celebrated at the tournament’s 20th anniversary event on June 14th. Teams, sponsors, and members of the MacLauchlan family gathered at the Belvedere Golf Club for the occasion.

The tournament is hosted annually by the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty and the QEH Foundation. Over the past 20 years this tournament has had a big impact on Island heath care, funding priority medical equipment for departments throughout the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The 2023 event raised $60,134, which brings the tournament’s cumulative total to exactly $1,011,654.

Harry MacLauchlan’s outstanding and varied business achievements and community support were bolstered by his positivity, which was evident in his well-known greeting – “It’s a great day!” His greeting was truly embraced at this year’s tournament as golfers faced rainy conditions but there were smiles abound. The winner this year was Mother Nature, as thunder and lightning cut the tournament short for the first time in its history.

A tree has been planted on the first hole at Belvedere Golf Club to honour Harry MacLauchlan’s legacy and commemorate the success of this memorial tournament. This crimson maple is the first tree to be replanted since the course lost more than two thousand trees to Hurricane Fiona.

Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty event co-chairs Mike Hennessey and Jamie Currie are grateful for the community support for this year’s tournament including Presenting Sponsor Fair Isle Ford and Corporate Sponsors Canadian Tire and Island Petroleum along with Lifeline Sponsors Currie, Hughes, Mullins & Associates – IG Wealth Management, Island Coastal Services, and Johnson Insurance.

For more information:

Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956

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Luxury Shed for Breast Health Care at QEH

JUNE 7, 2023

In front of the new QEH Ultimate Shed Giveaway “Cedar Shed” are project leads (L to R): Sara Dykerman of Plank & Pine Interior Design, Jillian Sexton of Sherwood Timber Mart, and Jennie Arsenault of Arsenault Bros. Construction.

The QEH Ultimate Shed Giveaway is back with a fully furnished luxury “Cedar Shed” being raffled off in support of breast health care at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Tickets for this backyard paradise are now available on the QEH Foundation’s website and at Sherwood Timber Mart – where the shed can be viewed.

The shed is a passion project for Jillian Sexton of Sherwood Timber Mart, Jennie Arsenault of Arsenault Bros. Construction, and Sara Dykerman of Plank & Pine Interior Design. Together these women have sponsored the project while dedicating their time and construction savvy to bring their vision to life.

Breast health is an important cause for all sponsors and especially for Jennie, a “breast cancer thriver” who was diagnosed at age 30 and uses her experience to help others navigating breast cancer diagnoses.

“Breast health, especially in young people, is something we need to be talking more about. It’s something I want to support. If I can be a cup of cold water for someone else on their journey of breast cancer, that is a gift,” says Arsenault. “Breast cancer is a life-altering experience and you get through it with the help of friends and community. That’s what this project embodies – the construction community is coming together to advance breast health care for all Islanders.”

Many businesses have supported the build of the Cedar Shed by providing everything the winner will need. The construction materials were donated by Sherwood Timber Mart. The shed was built by Arsenault Bros. Construction and designed and decorated by Plank & Pine Interior design. The shed is fully furnished, insulated, and comes with a wraparound deck. Island Coastal Services has provided free delivery anywhere on PEI and onsite trenching for an electrical hookup provided by Hansen Electric.

MaryEllen Hughes, QEH Foundation Director of Philanthropy, says the Foundation is thrilled be a partner in this unique community fundraiser.

“From mammograms to ultrasounds, biopsies, lab tests, cancer treatment, and more – there are so many areas of our hospital involved in breast health care,” says Hughes. “Having this annual project dedicated to equipment and technology needs in this area is exciting news for the QEH. We’re thrilled to give Islanders the chance to win this awesome prize while supporting something so important.”

Cedar Shed tickets are $25 each, or five for $100, and can be purchased through the QEH Foundation’s website at qehfoundation.pe.ca/ultimate-shed-giveaway or at Sherwood Timber Mart. Tickets are available online until July 3rd, 2023 and the draw will take place on July 5th.

For more information:

Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956

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Harry MacLauchlan Memorial Golf Tournament Tees Up for Milestone Year

JUNE 6, 2023

Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty event co-chairs Mike Hennessey and Jamie Currie are looking forward to this important fundraising event for the QEH and are grateful to the community support for this year’s tournament including Presenting Sponsor Fair Isle Ford, and Corporate Sponsors Canadian Tire and Island Petroleum, along with Lifeline Sponsors Johnson Insurance, Island Coastal Services, and Currie, Hughes, Mullins and Associates IG Private Wealth Management.

On Wednesday, June 14th the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty, together with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, will host the 20th Annual Harry MacLauchlan ‘Great Day’ Fore Health Memorial Golf Tournament with Presenting Sponsor Fair Isle Ford. Over the past 19 years this memorial tournament has raised over $950,000 for priority medical equipment at the QEH and the Rotary Club has set their sights on surpassing $1 million in cumulative fundraising during this milestone year.

This tournament is held each June in memory of Rotarian Harry MacLauchlan who was a passionate Islander and philanthropist. Harry’s outstanding and varied business achievements and community support were bolstered by his positivity, which was evident in his well-known greeting – “It’s a great day!”

“It’s been a great pleasure to be involved in this ‘Great Day’ tournament,” says Mike Hennessey, Rotarian and Event Co-Chair. “We’re proud of the incredible impact this tournament has had at QEH and we’re looking forward to this year’s event when we can once again honour Harry’s legacy with teams, sponsors, friends, and, of course, the MacLauchlan family.”

The organizing committee has their sights on raising $64,000 this year, a revenue that would not only exceed the cumulative $1 million in fundraising but would also fully fund a new electrocautery and argon machine for the QEH. This important equipment is used in the QEH Endoscopy Suite to cauterize polyps and prevent further advancements of colon cancer.

A full complement of teams will gather at Belvedere Golf Club for this year’s event. Anyone wishing to support the tournament through a team, prize or donation please visit QEHFoundation.pe.ca/Golf

For more information:

Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956

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QEH Foundation’s Big Day of Giving Supported by Islanders Tip to Tip

MAY 25, 2023

Ocean 100 and Hot 105.5 crews broadcasted live from the QEH lobby! QEH Staff, Foundation Staff, and Radio Crews proudly present QEH Big Day of Giving grand fundraising total of $861,061

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – May 24 is the second annual QEH Big Day of Giving – a day for us to come together and have a BIG impact on the health care of those we love. The QEH Foundation’s Board Chair, John Gaudet, says last year’s inaugural event was an outstanding success and he hopes this year will be just as impactful for the hospital.

“A gift to the QEH Foundation is a gift to all Islanders,” says Gaudet. “We all hope we’ll never need the hospital but if we do, or a loved one does, it is comforting to know that the best possible medical equipment is in place for our dedicated health care teams. That is the power of giving.”

The QEH Foundation strives to ensure medical equipment is never a barrier to quality care at the QEH. Through an outpouring of kindness from people across PEI, and beyond, the Foundation fulfills millions of dollars in equipment and technology needs each year. With a priority list so long, every dollar counts.

“Queen Elizabeth Hospital is the province’s main referral centre’” says Gaudet. “There are specialized services to care for patients from East Point to North Cape and everywhere in between. During our Big Day of Giving we’ll share patient stories that show just how lives are changed through health care at our Island’s largest hospital.”

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation’s Big Day of Giving was an outstanding success, raising $861,061 and counting. The second annual fundraising day took place on Wednesday, May 24th, and donors responded in a BIG way!

Donations to the QEH Foundation directly support the purchase of priority medical equipment for many provincial services located at the Island’s largest hospital. The QEH is home to PEI’s Cancer Treatment Centre, the Provincial NICU, and soon, our Island’s new Mental Health & Addictions Emergency Department and Short Stay Unit. This year funds will also support the hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging Department, as there is a need for three new X-ray machines.  

“Our Big Day is a celebration of the incredible things that happen at the QEH every day,” says Foundation Board Chair John Gaudet. “Specialized health care teams at PEI’s largest hospital care for Islanders from East Point to North Cape and everywhere in between. That was certainly reflected in the donations we received from grateful donors across the province and beyond.”

Official media partners, Ocean 100 and HOT 105.5, broadcasted live from the QEH from early morning until the evening and Big Day ambassadors travelled the Island and collected donations in eastern, western, and central PEI. Heartfelt grateful patient stories were shared on air, online, and in ads with print media partner, The Guardian. Many community groups and individuals stopped by the QEH, called, or made donations online.

It’s not too late to add your support to the QEH Big Day of Giving. Please call the QEH Foundation at 902-894-2425 or online at www.QEHBigDay.ca.

For more information:
Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
902-894-2956
kxmurphy@ihis.org

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QEH Big Day of Giving Supports Health Care for Islanders Tip to Tip

MAY 17, 2023

At the QEH helipad are baby Maren Lake held by her mother, Shae-Lynn, with her father, Jordan, left, and her papa, Paul Higginbotham, RN.

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – May 24 is the second annual QEH Big Day of Giving – a day for us to come together and have a BIG impact on the health care of those we love. The QEH Foundation’s Board Chair, John Gaudet, says last year’s inaugural event was an outstanding success and he hopes this year will be just as impactful for the hospital.

“A gift to the QEH Foundation is a gift to all Islanders,” says Gaudet. “We all hope we’ll never need the hospital but if we do, or a loved one does, it is comforting to know that the best possible medical equipment is in place for our dedicated health care teams. That is the power of giving.”

The QEH Foundation strives to ensure medical equipment is never a barrier to quality care at the QEH. Through an outpouring of kindness from people across PEI, and beyond, the Foundation fulfills millions of dollars in equipment and technology needs each year. With a priority list so long, every dollar counts.

“Queen Elizabeth Hospital is the province’s main referral centre’” says Gaudet. “There are specialized services to care for patients from East Point to North Cape and everywhere in between. During our Big Day of Giving we’ll share patient stories that show just how lives are changed through health care at our Island’s largest hospital.”

A series of videos released for the Big Day of Giving will introduce many grateful Islanders who have been touched by care at QEH. Among them is Paul Higginbotham, a QEH ICU registered nurse of 28 years whose newborn granddaughter, Maren, was transported by LifeFlight helicopter from the Prince County Hospital to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital late last year after experiencing respiratory distress at birth. “

I knew that if Maren could just get to the QEH NICU she’d be okay,” says Higginbotham. “Dr. Brown [Neonatologist at QEH] was on the phone with the PCH health care team throughout the night until the helicopter arrived. With a highly specialized team and the right medical equipment, Maren and her family could remain on PEI for her care.”

Provincial Credit Union CEO Bernard Gillis proudly presents a cheque for $25,000 to QEH Neonatologist Dr. Beth Ellen Brown. This donation will fully fund five new infant feeding pumps needed in the Provincial Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to care for our Island’s tiniest patients. This donation officially kicks off the Big Day of Giving coming up on May 24th.

Ocean 100 and HOT 105.5 will broadcast live from the QEH from 6 AM to 6 PM on May 24th sharing interviews with QEH staff, donors, and patients as well as providing updates on generous donations toward the Big Day of Giving. Big Day ambassadors, including long-time telethon host Marlene MacDonald, will be travelling the Island to collect donations and Foundation staff and volunteers will be prepared to accept phone calls, online gifts, and mail leading up to the day.

Donations made toward the QEH Big Day of Giving will support several provincial specialty areas of the hospital including the Provincial NICU, the PEI Cancer Treatment Centre, and the Provincial Mental Health & Addictions Emergency Room and Short Stay Unit.

Provincial Credit Union kicked off the Big Day of Giving with a donation of $25,000 to purchase five new infant feeding pumps for the Provincial NICU.

To learn more and to donate to the QEH Big Day of Giving visit www.QEHBigDay.ca, call toll free 1-833- 335-0545, visit the QEH Foundation office, or mail your cheque to QEH Foundation, PO Box 6600, Charlottetown PE C1A 8T5.

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