The BC Cancer Foundation has raised $177,000 to enhance patient and family emergency care services for Southern and Central B.C. Interior dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
The money was generated from the 8th annual Discovery Luncheon held in Kelowna on Nov. 15.
“I am always so inspired by the sheer generosity of our donors in Kelowna and across the Interior,” said Sarah Roth, president and CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation.
“Cancer is hard enough. Through the patient and family emergency fund, our donors are helping remove tremendous stress and bring new hope to families impacted by this disease.”
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With a cancer diagnosis can come many additional burdens, such as having to travel for treatment or deal with added financial stresses that may arise, she noted.
The patient and family emergency fund is designed to help people cope with these barriers, from supporting accommodation and travel expenses for out of town patients, to speech therapy or emergency dental procedures related to care, donors are helping alleviate some of the hardships from an already stressful situation.
“Donor support helps to ensure that our patients’ choices are not limited by finances,” said David Greenshields, regional professional practice leader, patient and family counselling, BC Cancer-Kelowna.
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“For many people, the patient and family emergency fund can be the difference between being able to undergo potentially life-saving treatment or not.”
Over the past eight years, the Discovery Luncheon has supported the latest cutting edge research and enhancements to patient care taking place at BC Cancer-Kelowna, which serves residents of the Boundary, Cariboo, Kootenay, Okanagan, Similkameen and Thompson regions through the Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre for cancer patients in Kelowna.
The philanthropic effort was aided by the support of BMO Bank of Montreal, Sentes Automotive and the West Kelowna Daybreak Rotary Club, along with the Thomas Budd Foundation which matched every donation collected at the luncheon.
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