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Boundary Trails Health Centre and Southern Health representatives are celebrating the addition of a new heliport coming to the hospital between Morden and Winkler.

Irene Krahn and family have completely funded the $350,000 project in memory of late husband and father Ed Krahn, allowing air ambulance services to more quickly transfer patients into hospital care. In the past, STARS crews had to land in a grassy area beside the facility which was subject to the elements like snowfall and muddy conditions after heavy rains.

BTHC Foundation Chair Grant Thiessen says it’s been a journey discovering the magnitude of the project and the generosity of the Krahn family. Originally, Thiessen says they were prepared to raise funds for a portion of the total cost only to learn the family was covering the entire bill.

“We were getting ready to do whatever was left,” Thiessen explains, adding they’ve informed the additional donors their support can now be moved to other projects.

“It’s awesome, it speaks to our community, and the people that are in our community, and their generosity and their vision for the needs in the area,” Thiessen says.

Southern Health CEO Jane Curtis explains the heliport will make a difference for the region, “it will be a lasting legacy for this family… knowing people will get the timely care that they need.”

She explains a heliport is a major boost for a hospital.

“It’s time… when people’s lives are at stake every second counts,” Curtis says. “It makes a huge difference.”

The heliport is expected to be finished before winter 2019.

Related story: Local Resident Donates $350K For Hospital Heliport https://www.pembinavalleyonline.com/local/local-resident-donates-350k-for-hospital-heliport

*Photo courtesy Boundary Trails Clinical Teaching Unit*

More surgeries can be booked, sooner, at Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC) with the addition of a $100,000 laparoscopic tower.BTHC now employs a second $100,000 laparoscopic tower thanks to the support of the Foundation and Enbridge. “It’s not a small ticket item,” O’Byrne says.

The additional operating room equipment was made possible thanks to fundraising efforts from the BTHC Foundation, and $50,000 in supp

ort from Enbridge.

BTHC Clinical Services Manager Martin O’Byrne explains the equipment gives doctors a live feed while in surgery.

“It allows us to run more surgeries, we’re not fighting over one laparoscopic tower that’s specialized for looking inside a patient witho

ut opening them up,” O’Byrne says.

Two towers mean two operating runs, “which has really increased our patient flow and the ability to do more surgeries… it’s been a real asset.”

In the past, staff had to juggle surgery dates to accommodate when the sole laparoscopic tower was booked.

He notes it’s all thanks to the generosity of local BTHC Foundation supporters and the grant from Enbridge.

“Quality health care is important to all of us and Enbridge applauds the important work of the Boundary Trails Health Centre Fou

ndation in supporting initiatives that this facility needs, including this state-of-the-art laparoscopic surgical equipment,” Enbridge’s Andrew Plett says.

 

He notes the contribution of $50,000 was part of a special community investment fund set aside under Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline replacement project. “We’re proud to be able to support the purchase of this important ‘wish list’ item for the Boundary Trails Health Centre.”

“The community has supported us from everything from the small items to the really large items and it’s always very welcome and appreciated. I can say this on behalf of my colleagues… we are very, very grateful for their contributions,” O’Byrne says. “At the end of the day, it’s our patients that benefit because we have the equipment available.”

Written by Steven Sukkau

The Rhineland Low German Drama Group made the presentation April 17. Director Tina Peters (far left) says the Low German drama troupe has been a long-running tradition in the community. “You can tell the same joke in English but it just doesn’t have the same kick to it.”

The popularity of the Rhineland Low German Drama Group productions often means standing-room-only. However, the cast wanted to share their success with the Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC) Palliative Care Program.

The group made a donation of $4,100 last week, the surplus from their latest spring event.

Director Tina Peters explains a number of cast members had family who received care from the Palliative Car Program and wanted to give back. “It’s a small way of saying thanks… it makes end-of-life care easier for family.”

BTHC Foundation Executive Director Shannon Samatte-Folkett explains the support was a welcome surprise. “It’s hard to raise funds… for them to raise $4,100, I know the work that goes into that so we appreciate it that much more.”

“It’s great to hear how impactful the Palliative Care Program is,” Samatte-Folkett adds.

The Palliative Care program at BTHC also includes 2 part-time nurses, a part-time Volunteer Coordinator and approximately 40 volunteers.

(The Elks Club’s Ray Kirk and Norman Poirier present a cheque for $12,000 to BTHC Foundation Executive Director Shannon Samatte- Folkett for the Building for the Future fund)

The Boundary Trails Health Centre expansion received another financial boost recently.

The Elks Club recently donated $12,000 to the BTHC Building for the Future fund.

“We are so very grateful to the Elks club. They have been supporters of the Foundation projects since the beginning,” BTHC Foundation Executive Director Shannon Samatte-Folkett explains, adding past commitments from the Elks Club include helping purchase equipment in rehab services, child and youth programs and obstetrics.

“We are honoured they believe in our project to help expand this hospital,” she says. “They see the need and want to help us achieve our goals.”

While the project still needs to be green-lit by the Province, Samatte-Folkett says the fund is gaining momentum.

“BTHC is bursting at the seams and this has been proven on several studies,” she explains. “Our communities are growing and BTHC needs to grow with them in order to offer the standard of care these community members are accustomed to.”

Currently, the expansion committee has completed a secondary report answering several questions MB Health/Shared Services had after the initial meetings and proposal.

Samatte-Folkett says the Province has a genuine interest in the project, and had many specific questions for the committee.

“The good news is that even though this process is extremely slow, the project is not dead,” she says. “BTHC staff do an amazing job working within the space they have but it is tight and we just want to help alleviate this with our expansion plans.”

BTHC Foundation Executive Director Shannon Samatte-Folkett

While non-profits have seen a decline in charitable giving across Canada, the Pembina Valley remains a strong community supporter, as evidenced at the Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation.

“We had a phenomenal year,” Foundation Executive Director Shannon Samatte-Folkett says.

The support is in contrast to national reports by CanadaHelps which notes donations are down from 24.6 percent of all Canadians giving to charity in 2006, to 20.4 percent in 2015.

Their golf tournament last year raised $37,000 after expenses, while their October banquet saw record sponsorship, bringing in close to $80,000 after expenses. “That’s our best year,” she says.

Year-end donations reached record numbers Samatte-Folkett adds.

The Foundation uses those funds to purchase additional medical equipment like a bladder scanner ($14,300) and an ultrasound probe ($14,000), as well as an infant stabilization warmer ($38,200).

Funds also support the Palliative Care Program services that go above and beyond what MB Healthcare covers such as additional palliative care nurses and the spiritual care coordinator.

The outpouring of support bodes well, Samatte-Folkett says, with the major Building For The Future campaign. Currently, the proposal has been submitted to the government and the committee is working on responding to their questions. The foundation has been working on the expansion plans for the past two years. Plans include building a service centre and moving office space out of the hospital to free up room for medical services.

“We’re pretty optimistic for 2019… we don’t have anything concrete but we’re hoping to announce a fundraising campaign.”

While the campaign has yet to be announced, the Foundation already has a growing fund. The Morden Thrift Store has committed a total of $500,000 to the project.

“We feel the community is behind us, they really want this, and we need it,” Samatte-Folkett says.

She notes the hospital supports approximately 60,000 people in the region, “we are helping not just Morden, Winkler and Plum Coulee, but everyone in the region.”

Written by Steven Sukkau