On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) Foundation launched a GivingTuesday campaign to purchase 50 patient slings ($400 each). These slings help patients get out of bed to regain their independence and mobility after a life-altering illness or long episode of critical care.
Thanks to 64 individual donors, and a matching gift of $10,000 from Nick & Marina Boudouris and Family (owners of OPA Catering, the World Famous Dock Lunch and operators of Restaurant Sainte-Marie), a total of $26,500 was raised in 24 hours.
“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our community,” says Nicole Kraftscik, executive director, GBGH Foundation. “These slings are so important for patients at GBGH, and we are grateful that so many people chose to positively impact local healthcare through this campaign.”
Slings are an essential piece of every day equipment used throughout the hospital. They assist a recovering patient out of bed to take a bath or shower, move into a wheelchair so they can become mobile again, or help a stroke patient begin to take the first steps toward recovery.
“Although I still cannot walk after my accident, the ceiling lift in my room helps me get out of bed, which is great,” says Bradley Thayer, rehab patient at GBGH. “Getting out and talking to people, having lunch with them, was like the first step in getting to go home.”
Patient slings are currently in use throughout the hospital, but many are worn out and there aren’t always the appropriate size available when required. Adding 50 new patient slings means all patients requiring a lift out of bed will now have access to this type of freedom and mobility.
“It can be extremely frustrating for a patient, after having a life changing illness, to not be able to get out of bed,” says Santina Muriella, manager, Rehab, CCC, Palliative and Allied Services for GBGH. “Having the appropriate equipment is very important for staff to help patients in their recovery journey. It is our hope to standardize the type of slings we use for our patients, upgrade to a superior product and create a better experience for all of our patients.”
While GivingTuesday is now over, those interested in supporting other critical needs at GBGH can make a gift to the GBGH Foundation holiday campaign. More information can be found by clicking here.