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Wingfest raises $14,000 for Victoria Hospital Foundation

In honour of Eliza Mae — the ‘sickest child in the province’
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A cheque for $14,000 was presented to the Victoria Hospital Foundation at Darcy’s Pub in Langford on Thursday afternoon. (Submitted by the Victoria Hospital Foundation)

Spending a third of your life in hospital is something not many people want to think about, let alone actually do, but for Eliza May — who her mom calls the sickest child in the province — that’s reality.

When Stacey Wilkerson, Eliza’s mother, was approached by long time friend Tanya Quin to find out how they could help and honour Eliza – Wingfest was born.

“They didn’t want a fundraiser done specifically for them, but they wanted a way to thank the Pediatric ICU (PICU) for keeping Eliza alive all these years and all the hard work they’ve done,” said Quin. “And that’s how the two things got intertwined.”

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Hosting a sampling event at the Roundhouse in Esquimalt on June 8, guests could taste various wings from 14 different restaurants along with sampling beverages from 14 different breweries, cideries and distilleries.

With the goal of $10,000 in mind, Quin and Wilkerson were thrilled that a cheque could be presented on Thursday for a $14,000 donation to the Victoria Hospital Foundation specifically for their newest campaign You are Vital: Pediatrics.

The money will be put towards funding 40 new monitors that are critical for the PICU and the Neonatal ICU (NICU) at the Victoria General Hospital.

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“We feel like there’s nothing we can do or say to thank [the PICU] that would be enough, they’ve given Eliza the opportunity to have a seventh birthday and to start to thrive,” said Wilkerson. “To have an event like this that not only raises money – which is important – but also awareness, just means the world to us.”

Quin says the event couldn’t have be pulled off without the vendors and would like to say thank you to everyone who participated in the event.

For more information on the You are Vital: Pediatrics campaign, or to make a donation visit www.victoriahf.ca/vitalkids/.



kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca

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