Greater Victoria shoppers raised $61,000 for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation through the annual Fix-A-Heart campaign at Canadian Tire.
Residents supported advancing cardiac care on Vancouver Island by making donations at the Hillside, View Royal, Royal Oak, North Saanich and Langford Canadian Tire stores, as well as the Gordon Head Auto Centre.
“The generosity of the community year after year speaks to how important of a cause this is and how heart disease really does impact so many on Vancouver Island. Anyway we can support the skilled teams in Royal Jubilee Hospital’s cardiac unit, we will and continue to commit to,” said Justin Young, owner of the Hillside location.
In the past decade, the Fix-A-Heart campaign has helped fund more than 80 pieces of equipment for cardiac care. From 2003 to 2020, the initiative raised more than $1 million for cardiac care equipment at Royal Jubilee Hospital.
The at-the-till initiative runs every Nov. 24 through Dec. 24, and this year’s total was part of a 2021 pledge by the local stores to raise another $1 million over 10 years.
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“For years, the local Canadian Tire stores and employees have brought the community together to help provide our caregivers with the resources they need, and ask for, to stay on the leading edge of cardiac care. Through the initiative, they also provide our cardiac experts with great appreciation, and shine a light on the excellent cardiac teams we have access to if we need it – and that, is a very special gift,” Victoria Hospitals Foundation CEO Avery Brohman said in a news release.
The $61,000 raised will support the purchase of a new C-Arm – a maneuverable machine that captures X-ray images of a patient’s heart and blood vessels in real-time. It helps with diagnosis and treatment on the spot, reducing recovery times and side effects, and improving the patient’s overall healthcare journey.
“Knowing my care team had real-time imaging using the C-Arm was reassuring. I could hear them say the device was in position and when it started functioning,” said Greg Clarke, a cardiac patient who shared his story with the hospitals foundation. “After the procedure, I learned my artery had been 70 per cent blocked. It’s so important to recognize we have access to great local hospital healthcare if, and when, we need it.”
The new C-Arm in the Heart Catheterization lab will cost $2 million; RJH is Vancouver Island’s referral centre for all advanced cardiac care.
To learn more about the campaign visit victoriahf.ca/fix.