Whistler Health Care Foundation

HISTORY

Thanks to the strong support of the community and a diverse group of donors, the 1994 Capital Campaign to build the current Health Care Centre and heli pad was more than successful - $250,000 more than the goal of $750,000 was raised. The Whistler Health Care Foundation was originally formed at the close of this campaign and mandated to manage the surplus funds.

In the six years following opening of the Centre, the funds were used to provide capital equipment and complete unfinished portions of the Centre to accommodate a new lab and physicians' consulting rooms. An ultrasound unit was also purchased.

With a new mandate to fundraise and many new directors, the foundation's board began to build on the established donor base, organize fundraising events and access grants to reach annual fundraising goals. Since (2008?) the primary fundraising event has been Indulge, a grand celebration of achievements, recognition of donors and generally one of the must attend events in the community.

Partnerships have been formed with local businesses and organizations. The health foundations in Pemberton and Squamish have joined with the Whistler foundation to form a Triboard to advance common interests and to more effectively engage various agencies, governmental groups and the public. In support of this direction our mandate has been broadened permit activity within the corridor rather than just in Whistler. As an example, all three foundations recently supported the purchase of a portable X-ray unit to assist orthopedic treatment in the Squamish hospital.

The Foundation collaborates with staff at the WHCC and with community physicians as well as with appropriate representatives of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, the primary administrative organization for health care in our area.

RECENT FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS

2011 TO DATE

We made the final payments to complete our commitments to VCH for funding the CT scanner project. We funded the purchase of a new ultrasound for the WHCC. This facilitates the move of the present unit to Pemberton. A new Pneumatic Tourniquet which facilitates the administration of the precise amount of anaesthetic during fracture realignment was funded.

2010

• We provided money to cover the bulk of our commitments for the CT scanner project. Some of the other equipment provided is as follows:
• a Panoptic Ophthalmoscope which allows viewing the structures of the fundus of the eye – arteries, veins and the optic nerve.
• Partial funding of a thermal imaging camera for the Fire Department.
• A share of the funding a portable Xray unit for the Squamish hospital to permit better and faster treatment for fracture patients in the corridor.
• A Glidescoe to aid in airway management.
• A physiolosic Monitor.

2009

Funding from WHCF provided 2 carescopes and stands, 2 capnographs (monitors which measure carbon dioxide levels in a patient's breath), a laryngoscope to secure an airway for patients who require intubation for airway management and a bedside cardiac monitor to measure pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and cardiac rhythm.