Greater Victoria firefighters donate funds to help sick kids
Firefighters from across Greater Victoria made a special trip to Victoria General Hospital on Thursday, putting smiles on the faces of sick children with a drive-by in their engines, and donating $25,000 to the Victoria Hospitals Foundation in support of pediatric care.
“We need donations like this in order to provide the equipment,” said Emma Carrick, the manager of Victoria General Hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit. “We’ve got the staff, we've got the skill, but we need to have the equipment in order to be able to provide that safe care for patients,” said Carrick.
It’s care that eight-month-old Romy Handy received when she was born just before Christmas. Her mother, Greer Handy, said Romy needed five hours of surgery the day after she was born, but is thriving now.
“The staff here just made everything a lot easier. It was kind of, you know, an unbearable thing to go through that they made possible,” said Greer.
This is the twelfth year that professional firefighters in the region have made the contribution – amounting to a total of $300,000 in donations so far -- that have bought equipment including ventilators and cardiac ultrasound systems for kids. This year’s donation is being used to buy a labour and delivery bed for the operating room.
“There’s not a lot of ICU care for children in the province,” said Carrick. “We take children from all over the Island, and we also take overflow from B.C. Children’s when they’re full.”
Thursday’s donation was personal for one of the firefighters and his family. Taylor and Chelsey Britton’s son, Hayes, was born prematurely. He spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit at VGH.
“Just a very scary time and just feeling very supported by the staff [who] are amazing and just knowing that they have the life-saving equipment if they need it,” said Chelsey Thursday.
It’s that life-saving equipment that allows Victoria General Hospital to operate one of only two pediatric ICU's in B.C., allowing newborns, young children and their families to get the critical care they need, without the extra stress of having to leave Vancouver Island.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Thousands are expected to rally on Washington's National Mall in support of Palestinian rights
Thousands of protesters are expected to turn out for a rally in the American capital Saturday in support of Palestinian rights and an immediate end to Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Hundreds walk backwards in downtown Montreal to symbolize the decline of LGBTQ2S+ rights
On Friday, hundreds gathered and walked backwards in the heart of Montreal to honour the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
Jesus is their savior, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.