Among a year of countless highlights, the East Kootenay Foundation for Health (EKFH) 2024 Starlite Ball on Saturday, November 2, ranked as one of our brightest moments. Not only were we honoured to be one of the event’s Presenting Sponsors, but the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable evening while helping to support much-needed oncology and renal upgrades at East Kootenay Regional Hospital (EKRH) appealed deeply to our community-rooted hearts and minds.
Supporting healthier communities is at the core of who we are. Much like the Cranbrook Rotary’s 4th Annual Heart of the Community Gala & Auction we attended earlier in the year, we believe it’s important to recognize the needs of the community and give back both to the healthcare organizations we collaborate with, and the individuals who call the East and West Kootenays home.
“As a small business, our health depends on the local community visiting our stores and accessing our services,” says David Stokes, co-owner of Kootenay Columbia Home Medical Equipment (KCHME). “It’s so important in this region that our community and streetscapes stay vibrant. The long-term success of any small community is dependent on people being active and shopping local. Otherwise, we risk losing people, especially youth, to the attraction offered by larger urban centres. That’s why we invest in community – to ensure residents and business owners can enjoy a comfortable quality of life while experiencing all the benefits of a smaller, more tightly knit community.”
One of our ways of supporting the community is through local fundraising events such as the Starlite Ball and Cranbrook Rotary Gala; another is through our purchase of a pressure mapping system that is free to rent and use for our community OT and PT partners. We realize that there’s a gap between the healthcare resources we need and what is available, and we are happy to bridge that gap in whatever small way we can to help make our communities better.
“Unfortunately, there’s never enough government funding to go around,” concedes Brenna Hong, executive director with the East Kootenay Foundation for Health. “The Kootenays is a big region geographically and by population, and we are 12 hours to Vancouver and seven hours Kelowna. We need more than what we have which is why fundraising events like the Starlite Ball are so important to our region’s overall health.”
The difference the EKFH’s fundraising campaigns make are tangible. The 2023 campaign raised over $1.5 million toward a new neonatal unit, and this year the mission is to raise $1 million by December 31 toward major oncology and renal upgrades. The hospital is bursting at the seams and chemo patients currently have to go through emergency to reach the oncology department which is less than ideal. The 2024 Starlite Ball and other fundraising activities over the next year are designed to elevate the hospital’s quality of care.
“Some cancer patients living in our region have to travel all the way to Vancouver or Kelowna to receive treatment,” explains Ms. Hong. “This dynamic puts a huge stress on their families. The changes we’re striving to make at EKRH through this year’s fundraising campaign should hopefully address some of those issues.”
If you would like to support fundraising efforts at EKRH or other health centres under the EKFH’s administration, visit the donation page now.
While we aspire to make a difference at the community level, we equally aspire to make a difference at the individual level. Walk into either our Cranbrook or Castlegar location and you can expect hands-on, customized service based on your unique mobility needs. You can also contact us now and schedule a one-on-one consultation. We would be delighted to welcome you into our KCHME community anytime.