The Saint John Regional Hospital. (Image: Brad Perry)
The community will come together Thursday to support the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation.
The annual Love Your Hospital Radiothon takes place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Country 94 and 97.3 The Wave.
Jeff McAloon, CEO of the hospital foundation, said the support during this year’s radiothon is more critical than ever.
“What the pandemic has done over the past year is certainly highlighted the critical role that our health care providers play in this province,” said McAloon. “They have done an outstanding job, in my opinion, of keeping us safe and doing their very best to help get this pandemic under control.”
Now in its ninth year, the fundraiser will support the $12-million campaign to expand the Clinic 1 ambulatory clinic, which McAloon said is now in the homestretch.
The expansion will increase the square footage from 7,000 to 14,700 square feet, improving accessibility, privacy and patient comfort and care.
“The clinic serves over 40,000 patients from across Atlantic Canada every year,” said McAloon. “That number is expected to grow to about 45,000 patients per year in the short term.”
The clinic, which houses more than 30 specialities, has been untouched since the hospital was built in 1982, according to the foundation.
McAloon said while raising money is “mission-critical” to help advance health care in the region, the radiothon is also a celebratory day.
“It’s an opportunity for people to tell their story about our hospital, to share their gratitude about the very personalized and very special care that they’ve received here,” he said.
While they will not have in-person visits during this year’s radiothon because of the pandemic, McAloon said they have a full team making and receiving phone calls.
He said they have raised as much as $290,000 in past years and would love to hit that target again.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, a total of $194,455 had been raised in this year’s event.
You can donate online at thegive.ca or by calling 506-648-7500.
❤️ Save the Date! Our 9th Annual Love Your Hospital Radio-thon is happening on February 11th. 🥰
Tune in to @973thewavenews and @country94chsj to hear stories from our patients about why they love the Regional Hospital! ❤️
Share the love to help us reach our goal! 🥰 pic.twitter.com/4Wb6OiVuBo
— SJRHFoundation (@SJRHFoundation) January 28, 2021
Follow
