Health-care workers at Richmond Hospital were on the receiving end of gratitude early Thursday morning, thanks to the hospital foundation.
A display with three hearts and messages of gratitude was unveiled at the hospital and 3,000 employees received cookies and a Starbucks gift card.
World Health Day seemed a “fitting” day to recognize those working in health care, said Richmond Hospital Foundation board chair Chad Pederson, from the doctors and nurses to the housekeeping staff.
“We wanted ensure that those that work at the hospital… that they know they are valued members of our community and that we appreciate the care that they provide for all of the loved ones who call Richmond home,” Pederson said.
The Richmond Hospital Foundation, which is like a “bridge” between the community and the health-care sector, wanted to show its gratitude to those working at the hospital on World Health Day, April 7, Pederson explained.
While the past two years have been “challenging” dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Pederson said “you still feel the community in the community of care.”
The province announced last summer it was spending $860 million to rebuild the acute care tower at the hospital, something that was expected for several years. It’s anticipated to be completed by 2031.
The Richmond Hospital Foundation raised $50 million toward the new acute care tower, which will go toward both bricks and mortar as well as health care equipment.
The hospital foundation is currently fundraising for specialized equipment under a campaign called “Trio of Life” – focusing on the heart, lungs and the nervous system.
The foundation has so far raised $55,000 as part of this campaign to buy an electro-myelography (EMG) system that pinpoints injuries by measuring muscle response or electrical activity by using electrical impulses.
However, there are still many items they’re fundraising for, including holter-monitors, four ECGs to measure heart health, cardiac stress tests and treadmills, pulmonary (lung) function testing machines and an EEG that helps diagnose for brain injuries, sleep disorders and epilepsy.
Heart displays will also be placed at Aberdeen and McArthurGlen malls and Pederson said he hopes shoppers will take selfies with them and post them on social media to also show their gratitude toward health-care workers.
