Our Successes

The Foundation is proud of its many successes in raising money to support health care in the Cowichan Valley and in providing our residents with the very best in medical equipment. The following list of recent accomplishments in the past 10 years demonstrates the critical nature of the services provided through financial support:

1997 - 2003 Campaigns

Renovation to Cairnsmore Place $ 250,000

Purchase of Anaesthetic System $ 150,000

Purchase of Ultrasound machine $ 325,000

Renovation and upgrade of Cancer Treatment Centre $ 160,000

CAT Scanner $ 1,530,000

Purchase Hematology Analyzer in Lab $ 190,000

Purchase Surgical Equipment $ 155,000

Upgrade & Renovate Maternity & Pediatrics Unit $ 190,000

'The work of the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation is critical to our Hospital in the provision of on-going quality medical and surgical care to the residents of the Cowichan Region. 

Radiology is a department which requires continued upgrading of expensive equipment and the Foundation has consistently met the challenge by assisting in the purchase of equipment. In the recent past, the Foundation purchased an ultrasound machine allowing us to provide improved obstetrical ultrasounds and launch a prostate biopsy program.

Recently, they also purchased a PACS to complement the new CT scan which was necessary to allow the large number of CT pictures to be viewed by computer and stored electronically. The Foundation's impact on the quality of patient care in my department alone is witnessed on a daily basis.'

Dr. Brian Wolfe ~ Radiologist

Additional equipment purchases have supported hospital departments such as Palliative Care, Psychiatry, Emergency, Ambulatory Care, Radiology and Rehabilitation. Since December 2003, the Foundation has funded additional medical equipment such as:

• Philips iU22 Ultrasound ($260,000) with precise 3D and true real-time 4D imagery. 

• $53,000 TITAN portable ultrasound offering bedside diagnosis throughout the hospital. It is a small laptop computer, weighs just 7.7 pounds and boots up in 7 seconds.

• CT program offering virtual colonoscopy.

• CT digital storage for records.

• Contrast injectors for CT Scans.

• Computer system in Chemotherapy Unit connecting CT for patient consultation.

• Computer Station in ER Trauma room connecting CT for surgical team

• Respirator for Emergency.

• Facilitated $220,000 of new surgical equipment in main operating room and a touring bus for Cairnsmore residents from a local estate.

• 3 way pump for Chemotherapy.

• Ice machine for 2 South

• Treadmill for Psychiatry

• Artwork throughout hospital to provide more comforting & friendly environment.

• Rehabilitation equipment

• Mammography equipment

• Bed air mattresses and HTR Tilt/Recliner wheelchairs for patient comfort

• Furnishings for Palliative lounge for patients and their families and friends

• TV-DVD system for our children healing on Pediatrics Ward

• Surgical lights for Maternity and ER Trauma room

• Holter monitor for cardiac patients

• Portable ultrasound for ER

• Intubation equipment for trauma patients with breathing difficulties

• 7 Crash Carts for emergency care

• $262,000 ~ renovating Cairnsmore Place, extended care facility and over $30,000 for furnishings for new space.

• $250,000 ~ C-Arm & Urology equipment

• $70,000 Giraffe Omnibed for Maternity Ward 

• $450,000 Digital Mammography

• Patient-consulting computer with dual screens for Cancer Centre

• Temporal artery (non invasive) thermometers for Maternity Ward

• 5 new recliner chairs for Cancer Centre

• $20,000 GlideScope with video laryngoscope attachments for ER

• 3 venoscope (vein) illuminators for 2-South, Ambulatory and Cancer

• $55,000 Giraffe Omnibed for high risk newborns in the hospital's Maternity Ward

• Palliative Room at Cairnsmore Place, providing a homey and supportive suite for the resident and family and friends

• $26,000 Headwall system for neonatal area of Maternity Ward

• $380,000 Pharmacy Campaign is funded to purchase 3 AcuDose machines to dispense medicines and a laminar airflow hood supporting the Cancer Centre. VIHA construction is underway and planned to be completed by late Spring 2010

• $20,000 Glidescope for patients arriving in ER with respiratory emergencies

• Equipment and furniture for Internal Medicine Clinic on 3rd Floor

• $150,000 enhanced x-ray machine to measure bone density and bone loss, and help diagnose osteoporosis

• New patientbed curtains on the 2nd Floor providing additional privacy for patients, thanks to exclusive funding from Ladysmith Healthcare Auxiliary
  

IN PROCESS:

• New Curtains for 30 patient rooms on 2nd and 3rd Floor of hospital. 

• $110,000 Surgical Microscope for cataract operations

• Maternity microscope and portable ultrasound Doppler to support successful pregnancies and deliveries.

NEW BUILDING FUND FOR COWICHAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL:

On April 17, 2010, at our Gala Dinner Auction, chair Meryle Hilberry announced  that the foundation has dedicated 1 million dollars to a new fund supporting an expanded and new community hospital.