Annual Community Cares Month launched Tuesday
“Richmond Hospital is a wonderful facility; a gem. If you want to maintain its lustre, you have to support it.”
With those words, Dr. Grady Meneilly, Regional Department Head, Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care, helped usher in the 8th annual Richmond Hospital Foundation Community Cares Month on Tuesday night. The annual month-long campaign raises funds to improve local health care within the Richmond Community of Care.
Dr. Grady Meneilly kicked-off the 8th annual Community Cares Month Tuesday night as the Richmond Hospital Foundation’s keynote speaker.
This year Richmond Hospital Foundation showcased the Emergency Department, Gastroenterology and Cardiology as some examples of the expert care that patients receive close to home.
Funding Richmond Hospital’s urgent needs
Throughout September, the foundation will work with donors to raise funds for high priority equipment, including new gastroscopes and colonoscopes, new ultrasound software upgrades for cardiology and new equipment for the Emergency Department.
During his remarks, Meneilly said that during the course of his career, he’s watched Richmond Hospital grow from a small, community-oriented hospital into a full scope health care institution that rivals the quality of care provided by larger hospitals.
According to Meneilly, Richmond Hospital’s closed ICU is “one of the best ICUs in the province; its bariatric surgical program is “second to none,” and the work of Richmond’s talented team of gastroenterologists is “outstanding.”
“By all the metrics we collect, Richmond Hospital is one of the best institutions in the country,” Meneilly said. “With your help, it will be able to reach its full potential.”
A nod to philanthropic leadership
A highlight of the evening was a $100,000 donation by Aspac Developments Ltd. to mark the start of this year’s Community Cares Month campaign and provide inspiration to others.
Aspac was also presented with the 2015 Community Cares Award in recognition of their philanthropic leadership in the community over many years, which has included — among other fundraising initiatives– sponsorship of the Richmond Hospital Foundation’s golf tournament for the past five years.