November 13, 2008
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation > Media Room > November 13, 2008

South Asian community breaks its own fundraising record

Surrey, B.C. – A new fundraising record has been established at Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Listeners to Red 93.1 FM have surpassed the one-day fundraising record they set last year. With pledges still being calculated, donors have given close to $1-million during a 16-hour radiothon on Thursday. As well, there are hundreds more donors than last year.

“Red FM is a community radio station, and the South Asian community has proven yet again that they are a very giving community,” says Red FM owner Kulwinder Sanghera, who is also a board member at Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation. “I am grateful to everyone for their generosity.”

“This outpouring of support is overwhelming,” says Foundation President and CEO Jane Adams. “The South Asian community has once again come together in record numbers for Surrey Memorial Hospital.”

Surrey Memorial Hospital’s current ER – the busiest in B.C. - was originally designed to handle about 44,000 visits a year but has instead been seeing more than 70,000 patients a year.

The new Emergency Centre, at triple the size of the current facility, will include a separate children’s ER, as well as a separate mental health and addictions area, an enhanced minor treatment unit, and an improved area for acute patients.

The B.C. government has committed to funding the essentials of a replacement to Surrey Memorial Hospital’s current E.R. The Foundation’s $15-million campaign will ensure the new Emergency Centre is state-of-the-art.

On November 15th 2007, it was announced the main entry to the new Emergency Centre will be named the Guru Nanak Emergency Services Front Entrance, in recognition of the South Asian community’s contributions to the Foundation throughout the years.

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For more information, contact:
Jason Howe
Public Affairs Director
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation
604-585-5666 ext 8284
cell: 604-613-6873
jason.howe[at]fraserhealth.ca