QEH Foundation raises nearly $260K for hospital equipment

It was a record-breaking evening for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, which held its annual gala auction in Charlottetown on Saturday night.

The event raised nearly $260,000 toward the purchase of a therapeutic gastroscope, two ultrasound stretchers and a new CT scanner for the ambulatory care centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Vital equipment

"This is so important for us," said Dr. Daniel Costa, a urologist at the hospital. "Without this we wouldn't be able to offer the level of care that we do."

From dinner to the auction prizes, everything was donated, allowing 100 per cent of the revenue to go toward the foundation.

'Easy decision'

Helping to raise funds for the hospital is an easy decision, said Ed Lawlor, the chair of the Friends for Life campaign another initiativespearheaded by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation.

"My parents have been at the hospital, my children and grandchildren were born there," he said, "So it's an easy decision to make. The hospital does so much for everybody."

The campaign aims to garner Islander support through donations for vital hospital equipment by sendingout letters asking for support. It will go on until the spring.

'Better care'

"A lot of things happen and the hospital is a key element in everybody's life," said Lawlor.

Equipment like the CT scanner is vital, said Costa.

"The new technology allows us to offer better care to patients and to do additional procedures that they may not have been able to get otherwise."

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With files by Matt Rainnie