December 11, 2009
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation > News & Events > Media Room > December 11, 2009
Children’s Charity to Support New Regional ICU for Newborns
Surrey, B.C. – Premature infants and other high-risk newborns in BC’s largest health region will soon benefit from a million-dollar donation to Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation from Variety – The Children’s Charity.
B.C. Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon was joined by Variety, Fraser Health, and Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation to announce a donation of more than $1 million ($1,040,000) to help expand the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
“This 48-bed NICU will help us provide highly specialized neonatal care to infants in critical distress,” said Falcon. “I’d like to thank Variety - the Children’s Charity, for their generous contribution to the unit, which will care for some of our province’s smallest patients.”
About a third of the money ($324,000) is being put to use right away as the hospital (SMH) transitions to its new role as Fraser Health’s designated site for the care of the most premature and sickest (‘level 3’) newborns, as well as high-risk pregnant women.
In recognition of Variety’s gift, the new NICU will be named the Variety Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The development of this tertiary NICU at SMH will involve a transition of Level 3 beds from Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) beginning on February 1, 2010.
This is the first step in building a larger regional NICU in SMH’s new critical care tower, expected to open in 2014. The remainder of Variety’s donation will help open the new 48-bed NICU – expected to be the largest of its kind in the province when it is complete. The NICU will be one of three provincial referral centres that can care for the smallest and sickest newborns, typically infants with a gestational age of 30 weeks or less or infants of any age who require mechanical ventilation.
These tertiary services at Surrey Memorial Hospital will continue to play an important role in complementing the quaternary care already provided at BC Women’s Hospital and BC Children’s Hospital.
“The significant generosity of donors to Variety to Surrey Memorial Hospital and to other Fraser Health hospitals will assist us to provide high-quality specialized care to the smallest and sickest newborns from across the Lower Mainland and throughout the province,” says Fraser Health Chair Gordon Barefoot.
“At Variety we believe in giving children the best possible start in life. The Surrey Memorial Hospital NICU will be a significant centre, and we were thrilled to be able to help premature babies and their families receive the care they need closer to home,” comments Barbie Hislop, Executive Director for Variety – The Children’s Charity.
“Variety is a long-standing partner of Surrey Memorial Hospital,” notes Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation chair Jacy Wingson. “This wonderful organization made a significant contribution to the hospital’s Children’s Health Centre that opened in 2001 and is now helping to ensure the new NICU opens as a state-of-the-art facility.”
Since 1965, Variety – The Children’s Charity has raised over $150 million to help children who have special needs in the province.
Established in 1992, Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation has raised more than $50 million to purchase medical equipment, fund innovative programs, and support training and research.
-30-
See attached Backgrounder
For media inquiries, please contact:
Fraser Health Media Pager
604-450-7881
www.fraserhealth.ca
Jason Howe
Public Affairs Director
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation
604-585-5666 ext 8284
cell: 604-613-6873
jason.howe{at}fraserhealth.ca
Carla Jones
Marketing and Communications Director
Variety – The Children’s Charity
604-268-3888
Carla.jones{at}variety.bc.ca
|
