2021 has been a monumental year for Eagle Ridge Hospital and the Foundation.
In February, Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation reached their fundraising goal of $5 million towards the Emergency Department expansion, and in September, the much anticipated Phase 1 of the new Emergency Department was opened to the public. Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation and our community advocated for this essential project for more than 10 years, and fundamental to its approval was the Foundation’s commitment to raising $5 million towards the $37.5M project.
“I am so grateful to our donors, community partners, sponsors and volunteers who are the champions of healthcare in the Tri-Cities. The opening of Phase 1 of this fabulous new Emergency Department truly could not have happened without each and every one of you who have donated and invested in the healthcare of our community,” says Tom Morton, the foundation’s board chair.
To celebrate the donors to the Emergency Department expansion, the Foundation was thrilled to host a virtual unveiling of Phase 1 of the new department, featuring a video tour of the bright, beautiful new space, performances by local talents Hilary Grist and Tyson Venegas, and a presentation of their Caring Heart Award to emergency physician and long-time volunteer board member, Dr. Michael Mostrenko.
Mostrenko has been instrumental in both his advocacy and support of this project, helping lead the design process with a clinical team in collaboration with the architects.
The new 21,000- square-foot facility will have three times the current space, with the latest technology to ensure physicians and healthcare teams are able to deliver the high quality care at Eagle Ridge Hospital. With the first phase of the new Emergency Department having opened on September 21, it is already an example for other hospitals in the region.
To thank Mostrenko, the foundation presented him with a unique bench, made from a Douglas fir tree that had to be removed to enable construction of the new Emergency Department to begin. Taking the opportunity to create something truly meaningful from the Douglas fir was contractor Halse-Martin Construction’s idea. They volunteered to craft two benches for the Foundation. “We were thrilled to see one of the benches go to Dr. Mike. He has put his heart and soul into this project over the years and the bench symbolizes his leadership and willingness to seeing this project through to completion. There is no one more deserving than him,” says executive director, Charlene Giovannetti-King.
With the opening of the new Emergency Department expected to be completed in the spring of 2022, the foundation has already begun working towards the site’s future needs. With nearly 80% of patients who come through the doors of the hospital requiring medical imaging services during the course of their diagnosis and treatment, the foundation has begun a $2.0 million Medical Imaging Capital Campaign. The goal of this campaign is to upgrade the hospital’s x-ray machines – portable and fixed – to allow the hospital to reduce wait times and provide more accurate diagnosis and treatment, close to home.
To learn more about Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation, visit erhf.ca.
