The Whistler Health Care Foundation is about half way toward funding a new trauma X-ray facility with a $32,000 grant from the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation.
The Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation recently announced grants totalling $115,000 for 12 charities in the region.
The trauma X-ray facility is something the Whistler Health Care Centre hasn’t had, but is needed to deal with the volume of cases and the severity of some cases.
"We have high quality rescue services and high quality medical care for trauma cases," says Marnie Simon of the Whistler Health Care Foundation. "But once we get the patients stabilized we then have to move them off the stretcher for X-rays, which can put them at risk."
The new X-ray facility will be built into the ceiling of the health care centre’s trauma room. Trauma patients will be placed on a special stretcher which can be used in the new X-ray facility. At present, patients with life-threatening injuries may have to be disconnected from life support while they are moved into the X-ray room.
The trauma X-ray facility is an important part of the health care foundation’s focus on improving diagnostic techniques and treating trauma victims.
The health care foundation hopes to receive matching funds from the Sea to Sky Health Council but may also have to do some fund-raising to cover the final cost of the trauma X-ray facility.
In addition to the $32,000 grant to the Whistler Health Care Foundation, the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation is providing a second donation of $25,000 to the Community Foundation of Whistler. The Community Foundation of Whistler is a perpetual investment fund established to distribute the interest earned each year to registered non-profit, youth, children and family programs in the Sea to Sky area.
As well, Sea to Sky Community Services will receive $10,000 for leasehold improvements for a new parent-tot drop in centre in Pemberton. B.C. Children’s Hospital received $12,500 in support of health care for sick children from within the Sea to Sky corridor.
Other beneficiaries include the Whistler Mountain Ski Club and Whistler Valley Snowboard Club, which received $9,900 and $8620 respectively as the organizers and beneficiaries of the wine and cheese night held to kick of the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation’s 2001 Telus Mobility Winter Classic. Whistler Community Services will receive $8,500 for the Whistler KidSport program, which provides financial support for approximately 40 local kids a year to participate in organized sports.
The Howe Sound Women’s Centre Society will get $4,300 for Pearl’s Place Transition House. A donation of $1,500 was made to the Whistler-Blackcomb employees team who participated in the B.C. Lions 24-Hour Relay for Kids. Their campaign raised more than $30,000 for Camp Squamish Summer Camp programs for children with disabilities.
Outward Bound will receive $1,500 to sponsor one candidate from the Sea to Sky area to attend a seven-day wilderness course designed for survivors of abuse.
Two Peter Xhignesse Memorial Scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded to a Pemberton secondary student and a Whistler secondary student for outstanding achievement in athleticism and academics.
Since 1993 the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation has raised more than $2 million for registered non-profit programs, becoming the largest fund-raiser in the Sea to Sky corridor. The foundation’s fund-raising is achieved through the Founder’s Pass Program and two main events, the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation Golf Classic in September and the Telus Mobility Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation Winter Classic in January.
Programs considered for funding must be in the areas of health, human services, education, recreation, the arts & culture and the environment, with an emphasis on children, youth and family programs. The next funding application submission deadline is Oct. 1.
