Annual QEH telethon hopes to raise $500,000

The 21stannual telethon for Charlottetown's Queen Elizabeth Hospital is set for a marathon weekend of fundraising.

It runs Saturday May 27 and Sunday, May 28, on Eastlink Television and organizers are hoping to raise $500,000 this year.

"Our soul mission at the QEH foundation is to raise and fund priority medical equipment," said TraceyComeau, CEO of the QEH Foundation. Comeau explained all on-going medical equipment needs are paid for by donations.

"People I believe it's innate, they want to give back," she said.

A list of priority equipmentis identifiedby a committee of doctors, nurses, and managers the foundation then tries to raise the money to buy as much as possible.

"It averages about five to six million a year in needs," said Comeau.

The hospital foundation is usually able to generate about five million dollars in revenue each year.The telethon is just one part of the fundraising.

"We fund everything from operating room tables, anesthesia machines, ophthalmology equipment, through to beds and wheelchairs," she said.

In a statement Health and Wellness Minister Robert Henderson thanked the foundation for their hard work.

"With new technologies and the need for modernized equipment, the role of hospital foundations across our province has become increasingly important," he said.

Giving time and money

The telethon itself is put on by many people who donate time and expertise from television programmers to musicians, to the people collection donations. The event consists of18 hours of programming.

"Eastlink Television contributes the entire production they have staff who volunteer all weekend long," said Comeau.

"We have a slate of volunteers that year after year like to come back, they man the phones, they stuff pledges in envelopes, it's constantwe're very grateful and of course to the donors," she said.

The telethon also decided to go beyond the televised portion of the telethon. Beginning last year they addeda social media component so people could follow on Facebookand Twitter and text to donate.

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"It has been very successful up to this point," said Comeau of the telethon.

"It's the 21st year, so we wouldn't keep going if it wasn't working well."

Fundraising happens all year

The QEH foundation office also has about eightfull time staff equivalent positions who work to raise dollars. Comeauexplained the foundation's overall cost of operationwas $0.16 per dollar raised.

"It has been our mission since our inception in 1984 to fund medical equipment for the QEHwe're really proud of that," said Comeau.

"We believe that the QEH is as well equipped as it is, because we as donors do take care of that," she said.

Donations fund new meal system

This year the QEH Auxiliary group which raises funds through running a store and coffee shop at the hospital, among other ventures, kicked off the campaign by committing to raise $155,000 towards a new patient meal tray system.

The chief administrative officer of the hospital said the same tray system had been used since the hospital opened35 years ago. The patient meal tray system was on the priority list.

"Nutrition plays a big part in healing and wellness," said CAO Jamie MacDonald. "This new system will keep cold food cold and hot food hot, and will have ergonomically correct handles," she said.

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