Author: Gerry MacIsaac

It’s once again the time when we focus on our largest annual campaign, Festival of Lights. It’s been a main event for our Foundation for more than 20 years – incredible! Between the community gathering in the hospital for music and refreshments, our annual cake auction to our direct mail campaign, it’s a busy time for our office. But it’s not too busy to pause to appreciate the little things that make each day special. Here are a few things I have on my Appreciation List:

• the hospital volunteers at the lobby reception desk who welcome people with smiles
• the VRH Auxiliary and the many groups and foundations who support our efforts
• the beautiful array of paintings displayed in the hospital by local Valley artists
• the medical staff who assist us by offering their knowledge and expertise
• our donors who drop in to say hello or to tell us how they appreciate the care they receive

There are many more things I could add but space is limited. I hope you find a few things to appreciate each day, particularly as we head into the busy holiday season. Take care!

We’ve waited years to hear the announcement of a hospice for the Valley and that day finally arrived last week when the Premier and the Minister of Health and Wellness visited Valley Regional Hospital. The funds to construct the hospice have been in place for a couple of years; funds raised from individuals, businesses, community groups, foundations and auxiliaries. The NS government and the Nova Scotia Health Authority will now absorb the ongoing costs of operating and managing the hospice.

A hugh thank you to the volunteers and donors who supported this project and kept it front and centre amid the changes we’ve experienced in health care and government leadership. The planned opening is 2019 but I’m hoping things move quicker and we see the hospice welcoming patients and families much sooner.

I was thinking about milestones recently because I have a wedding anniversary on the horizon. But there’s another milestone approaching next year that may surprise a few people; 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Valley Regional Hospital. The doors officially opened on April 4, 1992.

People still refer to Valley Regional as the “new” hospital. Some are surprised to hear things need to be replaced or repaired. If you lived in your home for the past 25 years you’ve probaby done some things to adapt it to your changing lifestyle. The hospital is no different.

We’re fortunate so many in Kings and Annapolis counties respond when our Foundation asks for donations. These donations are put to work to replace outdated equipment or buy new medical tools for a wide variety of health services.

Stayed tuned for activities to mark 25 years of Valley Regional Hospital.

P.S. Speaking of anniversaries, EKM Health Foundation is marking their 20th anniversary this year. They’ve contributed $3 million to local community needs over those years. They also provided over $350,000 to our Foundation for equipment and services at Valley Regional.

As we wrap up another successful Health in Harmony Radiothon with AVR, I wanted to share with you why the ear, nose, throat (ENT) and the cataract microscopes are so important.

The current microscope in the ENT program is 13 years old. If you had a computer that old….well you wouldn’t likely have one that outdated. Same with the microscopes. The technology has advanced and we need to provide the best tools available for those who perform these surgeries everyday.

In 2015, almost 500 surgeries were performed on patients from newborns to the elderly to repair and diagnose issues related to the ear, nose and throat.

The cataract microscope is not quite as old, just 10 years! Last year, almost 1500 surgeries were performed. That’s 1500 people who can now see clearly, who can move about safely without risk of falling because of poor eyesight. A serious fall can be detrimental and change one’s health outlook drastically.

This campaign is important because it directly affects the health and quality of life of each patient seen.