The Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation has launched a new campaign, aimed at improving cardiac care at UHNBC and around the region.
The new campaign, called “It’s About Time” is aimed at bringing interventional cardiac services to the North.
“So we are the additional pieces as part of the UHNBC Acute Care Tower project, which is in final stages right now of approvals,” said CEO Aimee Cassie. “We will be doing the above and beyond to make sure that we do have world class cardiac care here in northern British Columbia.”
Cassie noted this would include specialized pieces.
“So think specialized services for cardiac patients, so think like, a specialized MRI for patients that are in acute heart failure,” she explained. “Base would give us an MRI, we will get a specialized MRI, likely for our cardiac patients.”
Cassie said a team has been assembled a team, chaired by former Prince George-Valemount MLA and continuing advocate for Northern B.C. Shirley Bond.
In addition, the name of the campaign was chosen as something which would resonate with the community.
“We’ve been talking about interventional cardiac care services for years now, it’s been our area of greatest in Northern B.C. for the last five years running,” Cassie said. “It really does feel like it’s our time, it’s about time, we need these cardiac services, this interventional cardiac care in northern British Columbia.”
As part of the campaign, Cassie said the community can start to expect fundraising efforts around the campaign in the near future.
“We’ve got a couple of independent fundraising events that have chosen to support cardiac care,” she said. “Likely, Festival of Trees will support this regional cardiac strategy for Northern B.C., our Prince George Cougars Alumni Charity Golf Tournament was again supporting cardiac care, and those dollars are going for the defibrillator placement service that is new to the region, so while we’re waiting for the tower to be built, the cardiac services are starting to strengthen right across the region.”
Cassie added there are currently a number of significant barriers to cardiac care in the north, with travel being one of them.
“Right now, all of our cardiac patients that require interventional cardiac care are having to travel to Kelowna, to Vancouver, or to Victoria for that level of service,” she said. “When you put that in a patient perspective, someone has a heart attack, they triage at UHNBC, they stabilize at UHNBC, and then they’re transferred down to Vancouver for an Angio, or whatever interventional services they require, then they’re released and then they have to get home. That travel home for many patients at some of life’s scariest moments is challenging for so many of our patients. Bringing this service to northern B.C. really is closing one of the biggest gaps in care that we see.”
More information on the “It’s About Time” campaign can be found on the Spirit of the North website.
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