If it's Christmas, it's time to Light Up A Life

Image courtesy of Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation

By Cecilia Nasmith

Coming soon to a mailbox near you – appeal letters for the Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation's 32nd annual Light Up A Life holiday fundraising campaign.

This year's goal is the purchase of two ventilators for the Intensive Care Unit, critical equipment used by the team in caring for some of NHH's most vulnerable patients.

More than 3,000 letters have been sent, that include a heart-felt appeal from campaign chair (and NHH Chief of Critical Care and the ICU) Dr. Darius Seidler in recounting the recent experience of patient Tyler Lynn and his three month's in the ICU on a ventilator.

“Referring to the medical equipment in our unit as critical is an understatement,” Dr. Seidler said in the announcement.

“It works alongside us to monitor our patients and support us in determining the best course of action. In the case of ventilators, they quite literally work to keep our patients alive.”

Mechanical ventilation is a vital life-saving intervention used when a patient cannot breathe on his or her own due to illness, trauma or severe medical condition. The patient is intubated (meaning a breathing tube is placed in the airway) and connected to a ventilator, which takes over the crucial task of delivering oxygen to the lungs. Without ventilators, many ICU patients would not survive severe respiratory failure or other illnesses.

“By making a contribution, donors will equip our doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists with the tools to save lives and ease suffering,” Dr. Seidler noted.

“They will become part of someone's healing, recovery and second chance.”

This campaign comes at a critical time, as the service recently reached the important milestone of official recognition by Critical Care Services Ontario and Ontario Health as a Level 3 Basic Level of Care Unit. With this recognition comes the responsibility to meet higher standards of care and to ensure the hospital has the tools needed to deliver it so that more critically ill patients will be able to receive advanced life-saving treatment in the Northumberland community.

Since the first Light Up A Life campaign, the local community has come through with more than $4.3-million to fund medical equipment and technology at NHH.

In addition to this appeal from the NHH Foundation, JJ's Steak & Burgers is bringing back their annual Christmas Tree Raffle in support of the campaign. Throughout the month of November, you can win a one-of-a-kind fully decorated pre-lit Christmas tree – just drop by the restaurant at 8 Elgin St. E., Cobourg, to buy your tickets (at $5 each or three for $10).

For more information, visit www.NHHFoundation.ca/Light-Up-a-Life