Victoria Hospitals Foundation raises $10M from donors

The foundation says 5,800 donors contributed enough money to buy over 200 pieces of equipment and fund innovative research projects at three Victoria hospitals – Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria General Hospital, and Gorge Road Hospital. (CTV News)

The Victoria Hospitals Foundation (VHF) has announced the completion of its Emerge Stronger campaign, raising $10 million over 18 months.

The foundation says 5,800 donors contributed enough money to buy over 200 pieces of equipment and fund innovative research projects at three Victoria hospitals – Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria General Hospital, and Gorge Road Hospital.

The money raised has helped buy things like new breast-imaging software, an automated chemistry line for the analysis of blood samples, and an imaging system to advance neurosurgery locally.

“It really shows that our community is behind our hospitals and care teams,” says Avery Brohman, CEO of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.

“Together our donors make up 40 per cent of the hospital equipment that is funded and that speaks volumes to what our community wants our hospitals to be like.”

The campaign consisted of three phases, ‘Recovery’, ‘Local Care’ and ‘Innovation;’ all geared towards purchasing priority equipment, supporting ground-breaking research and investing in local advancements to help more patients access specialized care close to home.

Those on the frontline are thanking the community for their donations.

“It’s been a number of years we’ve faced unprecedented challenges, so having this money to buy equipment, that’s huge,” says Dr. Omar Ahmad, a critical care physician.

“Beyond that is just the support that we have from the community, it just means so, so much to us that’s beyond the monetary value of what’s been given.”

The Victoria Hospitals Foundation works in partnership with Island Health to enable donations to every area of care at Royal Jubilee, Victoria General, and Gorge Road hospitals.

Since 1989, the Victoria Hospitals Foundation has raised more than $180 million to benefit the region's hospitals, patients and health care workers.

“Without equipment, we are making critical decisions without the full picture, delaying care, or not providing the right care at all. That’s why donor support is key,” says Dr. Jill Kelly from the emergency department at Royal Jubilee Hospital, and the campaign’s first spokesperson.

“As care providers, we have a drive and an obligation to ensure that all our patients receive the best possible care. It takes the right expertise, dedication, and equipment to do that. Donors help us with the latter—and it makes all the difference.”

The VHF’s next campaign will focus on imaging and cardiac equipment, along with innovative research that will ease the strain on patients, hospitals and staff.