VICTORIA -- Whenever they are needed, they will always answer the call to help and on Thursday, local firefighters helped kids in a huge way by donating $25,000 in support of pediatric care at Victoria General Hospital (VGH).
The gift is part of a 10-year, $250,000 pledge made by the Professional Firefighters of Greater Victoria Community Foundation to fund an array of priority equipment for the pediatric unit at VGH.
"It's extremely rewarding to give that much to something that means so much to the community of Victoria and even the island," said Saanich Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation director Brian Swanson. "It saves families from having to travel over to Vancouver for extended periods."
Lily Lecinana is one of the children at VGH who would otherwise have to travel to Vancouver for treatment. The 10-year-old has been fighting Burkitt Leukemia, a form of blood cancer, since her diagnosis a week after her birthday in April 2019. Before she got to sit in the driver's seat of a fire truck parked at the hospital, she wanted to say thank you.
Lily gave firefighters representing the Professional Firefighters of Greater Victoria Community Foundation two pictures she had drawn.
"It's important to give those drawings because it means a lot to them," said Lily. "I think it's awesome to show how much you can give to people by showing them the smallest little things you can do."
To raise funds for pediatric care, each charitable foundation holds community events throughout the year. The Saanich Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation hosts the Rock and Roll for Little Souls Car Show and the Oak Bay Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation fundraises with Sausage Fest at Willows Beach. Meanwhile, proceeds from Ribfest, held at Bullen Park in Esquimalt, is the Esquimalt Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation fundraiser.
"It's an inspiring day for us," said Victoria Hospitals Foundation executive director Avery Brohman. "You know, we learned firsthand today that 98 per cent of the kids that are treated here on the island stay on the island. There's a need for the equipment that the firefighters here have pledged to give us."
This year’s donation is supporting the funding of a new monitor for life-saving neonatal care at VGH. This important equipment records and monitors vital signs in 100 per cent of cases in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at VGH. More than 3,000 babies are born every year at VGH.
"They're amazing, they're our heroes," said VGH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse Clinician Ashely Green. "It's just amazing the community support that we can get from our community heroes to help us take care of our tiniest population is just so heartwarming."
The NICU at VGH treats more than 400 babies a year from Vancouver Island. The patients range from Port Hardy to Victoria.
"I think that's awesome that they donated that much money," said Lily. "I just think's it's amazing to be here and how well I'm doing because everyone is just so happy and I like happiness."
