Community funds CT Scanner for the QEH Emergency Department
January 29, 2024
CHARLOTTETOWN – In the fall of 2023, the QEH Foundation announced a campaign to fund a CT scanner for the QEH emergency department. Following an enthusiastic response from donors, the full $1.3 million cost has been raised in a matter of months. Emergency physician Dr. Nicole Green said it is heartwarming to see the community coming together to advance emergency care at the QEH.
“On behalf of all staff here at the emergency department, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all QEH Foundation donors,” says Dr. Green. “You are who make this possible. This equipment will both make our jobs easier and our patient care safer for years to come.” The CT scanner is used for the diagnosis of critical illness, injuries and trauma, and to assess the extent and severity of a condition. The procurement process for the new CT scanner has begun and it is set to arrive at the QEH later this year.
Foundation Board Chair John Gaudet says donor support is more than just money for new equipment, it is a message to patients and staff that the Island community is behind them. “We’ve received donations from across PEI and beyond,” says Gaudet. “From large gifts to our youngest donors giving their birthday money. We are proud to work with such kind individuals who want to make a difference in health care.”
The QEH Foundation’s Friends for Life campaign continues, raising funds for other priority medical equipment needs throughout the hospital. To donate, click here
For more information:
Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956
Campaign to Bring CT Scanner to QEH Emergency Department
NOVEMBER 30, 2023
CHARLOTTETOWN – Transporting a patient from the QEH emergency department to the CT scanner involves three hallways, many corners and several doorways. This long but necessary journey for imaging takes critically ill patients far from the hospital’s well-resourced trauma room. The CT scanner is used for the diagnosis of critical illness, injuries and trauma, and to assess the extent or severity of a condition. Physicians and staff desperately want a CT scanner within the emergency department, and many Islanders are determined to fund it for them.
QEH emergency physician Dr. Nicole Green says it is enormously stressful for nurses and physicians who accompany unstable patients to the CT scanner, knowing they are leaving the safety of the emergency department and its equipment behind. Having a scanner within the department would not only improve patient safety, but it would also improve working conditions for staff of the emergency department.
“Isolation from the resources of our trauma room significantly increases the risk to patient health,” says Dr. Green. “I can’t describe the feeling of sending your patient for a scan and then hearing an overhead announcement for a code blue in the CT scanner.”
Having a dedicated CT scanner in the emergency department will also allow more rapid access to essential brain imaging for stroke patients, as time is crucial in stroke treatment.
Grateful patient Michelle Hughes is a wife, mother, and terminal cancer thriver who has leant her support to the campaign. She was diagnosed with an ultra-rare terminal cancer in 2021 after being rushed for a CT scan from the emergency department.
“That CT was the first step to a diagnosis,” said Hughes. “It also started my journey to just live; seeing and creating joy in the often overlooked. One of my joys in life is helping others and right now, Islanders need our help in a big way.”
The majority of medical equipment at the QEH is funded by donations. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has launched its annual Friends for Life campaign to raise funds for the many medical equipment needs of the QEH, including the CT scanner for the emergency department.
The cost for a CT scanner is $1.3 million, funds that cannot be raised without many kind people coming together to make it a reality.
The QEH Auxiliary has kicked off the campaign with a leadership gift of $100,000. The Auxiliary is a volunteer organization whose main sources of income are three shops located in the lobby of the QEH: Lillibet’s Gift Shop, Royal Pantry Eatery, and Auxiliary Coffee.
To donate to the QEH Foundation’s Friends for Life Campaign, please call the Foundation office at 902-894-2425, go online to www.qehfoundation.pe.ca or mail a cheque to the QEH Foundation, PO Box 6600, Charlottetown, PE C1A 8T5.
For more information:
Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956
QEH Foundation Gala Auction raises $363,435
NOVEMBER 18, 2023
CHARLOTTETOWN – Applause filled the ballroom of the Delta Prince Edward on Saturday night as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Foundation held its annual Yuletide Gala Auction. The event raised $363,435 to fund medical equipment needs at the QEH, and the celebrations didn’t stop there.
Presenting sponsor Cavendish Farms has signed on as presenting sponsorship for the event for two more years. This is an incredible commitment to Island health care from a longtime supporter of the QEH Foundation.
The live auction fun was complemented by a special celebration with grateful patient Michelle Hughes who took to the stage to thank members of the QEH health care team who had impacted her life as a proud mother living with ultra-rare stage-four terminal cancer. With members of her health care team in the room, Michelle asked each to stand and be celebrated by more the more than 250 guests in attendance.
“Through my many visits to the QEH, and on my journey to a diagnosis, I’ve received countless tests. You name it, I’ve had it,” said Michelle. “I know that medical equipment at our hospital is there because of kind people like you. Thank you for making a difference in health care in PEI and for being a part of this evening with me.”
John Gaudet, QEH Foundation Board Chair, says events like the Yuletide Gala are not just fundraisers, they’re reminders of the power of community and the care that Islanders feel for one another.
“The donors, sponsors, and attendees here tonight have funded an infant simulator, a pediatric wheelchair, and so much more,” says Gaudet. “Every donation tonight will advance the health of our community, and that is something to celebrate.”
The QEH Foundation gratefully acknowledges the heartfelt community effort that went into making this memorable evening a success.
For more information:
Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956
2023 Holiday Gift Guide
Celebrate the season of giving with a gift that gives back! Gifts of all sizes from our kind and caring community help ensure Islanders receive the best health care possible, closer to home. This year, we’ve compiled a list of meaningful gifts that will not only bring joy to your loved ones but also help make a positive impact in the lives of Islanders.
Check out our Holiday Gift Guide below! For even more ways to give, you can visit https://qehfoundation.pe.ca/ways-to-give/
1. Honour a loved one or a health care hero.
In lieu of a physical gift, make a donation in honour of someone who has made a difference in your life, whether it be a family member, a friend, a leader in your community, or even a health care hero who has helped care for you at the QEH. Simply include their name and contact details as well as a personalized message (optional) when you make a donation and we will mail them a card letting them know of your caring gift.
2. Find the perfect gift at Lillibet’s
From trendy clothing to home decor, Lillibet’s has a ton of gift options for the special people in your life. Lillibet’s Gift Shop is located in the QEH lobby and proceeds from any purchase is donated to the QEH through the QEH Auxiliary.
3. Purchase a Gift Card from the Auxiliary Coffee Shop
Looking for something to gift the QEH staff member in your life? A gift card to the Auxiliary Coffee Shop for morning coffees and much needed pick-me-ups. Proceeds from the coffee shop are donated to the QEH through the QEH Auxiliary.
4. Support a community fundraiser
Support local by supporting a community fundraiser this December. Gift a Poinsettia from Van Kampen’s or a Christmas Angel from Norton’s Jewellers, purchase tickets for you and a friend to an Island Jubilee Show, or take the family for hot chocolate and a holiday light show at Cow’s Creamery. Check out our QEH Foundation Community Facebook page for all the fundraisers currently taking place!
5. Gifts for a Year
Just like a subscription, you can give the special gift of monthly donations for a whole year on behalf of a loved one. Monthly giving is a wonderful way to support the QEH Foundation! It is also a convenient way to spread your donation into manageable amounts over one or more years, ending in a significant contribution. Visit our Monthly Giving page to learn more!
6. Donate to our Annual Friends for Life Campaign
Every year, our Annual Friends for Life Campaign focuses on raising funds to purchase priority medical equipment to assist the QEH family in providing the best health care possible. Support from the community enables us to purchase life-saving, up-to-date medical equipment and technology to care for all Islanders in times of need. This year’s campaign is raising funds for a dedicated CT scanner in the emergency department. At an estimated cost of $1.3 million, this new CT scanner will be an incredible gift for patients and health care staff in the QEH.