Supporting children is the focus of ‘Variety – The Children’s Charity’ and their aid has come again in the form of a grant toward purchasing vital fetal monitors.

 The three fetal monitors, purchased for $52,245, are vital for both mother and child at such a critical time. They will include ultrasound transducers and monitor blood pressure and oxygen saturation.

 "‘Variety – The Children’s Charity has been a tremendous supporter of KGH”, says KGH Foundation CEO Doug Rankmore.

 “In 2006 they provided $500,000 to expand and upgrade our Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit and last year they gave nearly $35,000 for a new incubator - they truly are committed to building better futures for children and we’re so grateful for their involvement in Kelowna”.

 Labour and Delivery department registered nurse Jackie Lescarbeau expresses gratitude for the addition of the new fetal monitors.

 “This new equipment will allow us to provide better care to our mothers and to monitor their babies in a safe and timely manner,” she says.  “This will enable us to provide a higher quality of care.”

 Thanks to donations from the likes of generous charitable organizations such as Variety, KGH’s smallest patients are receiving the best care possible.

 “For every parent, the birth of a child is a tremendous experience that is accompanied by a whole range of emotions,” says Variety’s Executive Director Barbie Hislop.  

 “Knowing that their child is being cared for by skilled professionals using the very best equipment is one way we can help new parents breathe easier. If you look at every NICU in the province, you will see Variety in there, doing what we can for the kids.”

Supporting children is the focus of ‘Variety – The Children’s Charity’ and their aid has come again in the form of a grant toward purchasing vital fetal monitors.

 The three fetal monitors, purchased for $52,245, are vital for both mother and child at such a critical time. They will include ultrasound transducers and monitor blood pressure and oxygen saturation.

 "‘Variety – The Children’s Charity has been a tremendous supporter of KGH”, says KGH Foundation CEO Doug Rankmore.

 “In 2006 they provided $500,000 to expand and upgrade our Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit and last year they gave nearly $35,000 for a new incubator - they truly are committed to building better futures for children and we’re so grateful for their involvement in Kelowna”.

 Labour and Delivery department registered nurse Jackie Lescarbeau expresses gratitude for the addition of the new fetal monitors.

 “This new equipment will allow us to provide better care to our mothers and to monitor their babies in a safe and timely manner,” she says.  “This will enable us to provide a higher quality of care.”

 Thanks to donations from the likes of generous charitable organizations such as Variety, KGH’s smallest patients are receiving the best care possible.

 “For every parent, the birth of a child is a tremendous experience that is accompanied by a whole range of emotions,” says Variety’s Executive Director Barbie Hislop.  

 “Knowing that their child is being cared for by skilled professionals using the very best equipment is one way we can help new parents breathe easier. If you look at every NICU in the province, you will see Variety in there, doing what we can for the kids.”

A third year medical student from UBCO Vancouver, Gavin Docherty chose medicine because it would give him the opportunity to help people, self learn and provide education to others. Currently in the UBCO Vancouver medical programme, Docherty was one of 11 third-year students sent down to KGH with the hopes of preparing it for new students and working out any kinks before inaugural classes in 2013.

"So far I have really enjoyed KGH, everyone is wonderful to work with and they are very enthusiastic for teaching," says Docherty. "I've been here all week in a medical teaching unit (at the new Centennial Building). Everything is going well and I am really impressed with the facility...the patient rooms are much nicer than I recall in the old hospital during first year." 
As the Medical Society student representative this year, Docherty hopes to become more involved with the KGH Foundation which awarded him with a bursary during his first year of education.

"In my first year the Foundation gave me a bursary, they helped to support my education that way. It's a very expensive course so every little bit is hugely appreciated and helps out a lot," says Docherty.

"I don’t know if many of these students know about the Foundation but I am hoping that this year, as the student representative, that I will be able to help inform my classmates and make them aware of opportunities and events and get them more involved."

Regarding the Foundation’s work, Docherty is happy to see a newer more up-to-date hospital and the improvement of patient care on multiple levels. "Making KGH a teaching hospital might be difficult on a number of levels," he says. “But in the end it should result in better care for people."

After accompanying her dad, a surgeon at KGH, to Nicaragua on a medical mission trip, and working as a care aide for adults with disabilities and brain injuries, Amy Kluftinger knew what career path she wanted to follow.

She is now a third-year UBC Vancouver medical student working as a clinical clerk at KGH as part of their pilot student program. Kluftinger’s impression of the KGH Foundation is that it has done great work and brought big changes to the hospital, including the funding of specialized equipment. Students at KGH now have access to top-of-the-line equipment – such as CPR simulators and fake arms for inserting IVs—due to the Foundation’s support.

“The KGH clinical academic campus is absolutely amazing,” says Kluftinger. “The access we have to patient simulators, library services, and state-of-the art facilities is incredible. In my opinion, it is superior to even the larger centers in BC.”

Kluftinger brings to light that it is not only students who are impressed with the new changes to KGH, but more importantly, the patients. While doing a rotation at the new McNair psychiatry unit (in the Centennial Building), Kluftinger heard positive feedback.

“Many of the patients I worked with commented on the new facilities. They have access to private rooms, exercise equipment, and more recreational activities. Mental health has a variety of determinants, and I believe it is truly beneficial for patients to have a positive environment to stay in while dealing with difficult circumstances.”

Kluftinger came to KGH as it offers a lot more hands-on learning and direct patient care. She hopes to return as a family physician on the maternity ward someday.