Woman seriously injured by fallen tree now raising money for Victoria hospital equipment
A year and a half after a tree crashed down on a Langford woman’s home, she’s lending her voice to a campaign raising money for new imaging technology in Greater Victoria hospitals.
Ann Bailey was inside her mobile home on April 5, 2022 when the tree crashed onto her house and her neighbour's.
Langford Fire Rescue said its members heard her faint reply saying she was inside and they found her still sitting in her chair, trapped under tree branches and debris from her home.
“I don’t remember too much,” says Bailey. “In the ICU they called for my family to come because they didn’t think I was going to make it. But I did. And knowing how stubborn I can be, I was determined obviously,” she says.
Bailey says she remembers waking up in the intensive care unit at Victoria General Hospital, and was shocked to learn she had been there for about a month.
“I had a broken pelvis and seven cracked ribs. So it was quite an injury, I received,” she says. “I had MRIs done which of course will find out what’s going on with a person.”
The 85-year-old says her medical diagnostics included CT scans to inform her recovery as well.
Bailey says the care she received has inspired her to share her story publicly as the Victoria Hospitals Foundation runs a campaign to replace and upgrade the technology in South Island hospitals.
“I am so excited to share that we are at $2 million of this $11-million campaign,” says VHF’s associate director of philanthropy, Colleen Bronson. “That’s incredible. It’s a true community effort."
The Imaging is Power campaign is raising money to fund six key pieces of equipment: two new MRIs at Victoria General Hospital, one MRI at Royal Jubilee Hospital, a CT Scanner for VGH, and a SPECT-CT scanner and C-Arm for RJH.
“Some folks can see themselves in our spokespeople and their situations and that can help inspire them to give,” says Bronson.
Bailey is committed to being a part of it.
“It was wonderful. The care that I got, my goodness me,” says Bailey.
Next she’s waiting on the final repairs to her home, keen to move back at the end of the month.
“And one thing I know that I’m going to be really happy about is seeing my cat,” she says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.