In 2005, Heather Schroeter decided to gather her friends and family and host a fundraising event in honour of her mother, Judy Colborne.
At that time, her mother had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.
From that fundraiser was born the Pink Party team, a group of supporters behind Schroeter’s idea for an annual theme party, for ladies only, with the beneficiary being the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation.
Over the past decade, the Pink Party event has raised $260,000 for the foundation, with those efforts culminating with the official opening of ‘Judy’s Spa’ at Kelowna General Hospital.
It is affectionately named after Schroeter’s mom, who passed away shortly after the inaugural Pink Party, the spa is the result of a transformation of what was the former tub room in the hospital’s 4B oncology unit.
“Patients love it,” said Traci-Lyn Taylor, one of 4B’s two nurse aids. “Being able to run a patient a warm bath, turn down the lights, turn up the music, and safely leave them to enjoy some private time has been an amazing transformation in how we can care for patients in acute care situations. It gives them an opportunity to feel human.”
Schroeter, who works for Manteo Resort, said the ceremony held Tuesday to officially unveil Judy’s Spa was a bit emotional for her but also a fitting way to honour her mom.
“She was really a happy, bubbly person, and I think she would have really liked to see this spa in place. We are always raising money for research and clinical equipment for hospitals because it is needed, but this is more about the providing something of the comfort side of patients which I think would have pleased my mom to see,” Schroeter said.
No longer having to be lifted into a tub basin, an experience often described as “scary and a chore,” patients can now enjoy using a swing door tub combined with dimmable lighting and sound system.
“It was emotional for me to officially open it but in a good way,” said Schroeter.
As well, Schroeter said she and her group were very involved in the interior design option choices for the spa room.
“Everyone went out of their way to make the spa room special and that was very much appreciated,” she said.
With the former tub room now updated, she said her group has set its sights on doing a similar makeover for the neighbouring shower room.
Schroeter credits the support of her friends Cindy Belyk, Mark Golbey, Don Martynand Kim Desrosier, along with the love and support of her husband Neil, for making the Pink Party a reality. Others who have stepped up in the years since include Kim and Shon Carey, Beth and David Halpin and Mart Resources.
Schroeter says gratitude should also be extended to Judy’ Spa in-kind supporters for creating a peaceful and relaxing space for oncology patients—Lynn Archibald Interiors, Small’s Tile, Evr Parent Commercial Flooring, Terracom Systems Ltd. and Shanw Talbot Photography.
The first fundraiser was held in Schroeter’s backyard attended by about 40 people. For the event planned this year for Oct. 17, the attendance is likely to reach 200 people.
“It has just grown over the years as word spread about what we were doing, and friends brought other friends and as the years passed it continued to grow,” she said.
The party usually has a theme—this year it will be Halloween—and the tickets cover all food and drink. There is a volunteer DJ to provide dance music and a silent auction as well.
