Brian Miller is happy to hear that Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island will provide $4.7 million in health-care funding for kids on the Island.
Miller, from Campbell River, received aid from the charitable foundation after scary news received when he and his wife, Ricci, went to Victoria for an ultrasound when they were eight-months pregnant with daughter Emma, now five years old.
Ricci was diagnosed with late-term preclampsia, which can lead to high blood pressure.
“Every time [the doctor] would stop, he would look at her heart, or he would look at her head, or her kidneys and he would sit. He would stare at the screen and he wouldn’t say anything … for an entire hour this went on, not a word. I felt like I was going to have a panic attack because I had no idea what was happening,” said Miller.
The Millers were informed Emma would be delivered that day, as the doctor expressed concern about Emma’s brain, heart and kidney. They weren’t prepared for long-term stay, but received assistance through various foundation programs, including a month stay at the foundation’s Jeneece Place, a home-away-from-home in Victoria.
“Because we were from out of town, we didn’t know where to stay,” said Miller. Being able to stay somewhere like that in a home environment that was restful and not a hospital room … having somewhere where you can literally just walk across the parking lot and be back in the hospital with your family, it’s just a massive blessing.”
Veronica Carroll, foundation CEO, said the $4.7 million — a record total for the CHFVI — comes from donors and fundraising efforts and will support three priority areas: early childhood development, child and youth mental health and rural and remote community access to health care.
“We are putting some dollars into early intervention with the dollars that are going to [Nanaimo Child Development Centre] and their family fair and we know that families really rely on access to medical support in health, health professionals out in community and closer to home,” said Carroll.
Jan Tatlock, Island Health director for public health, said the health centre at John Barsby Secondary School could benefit.
“It would go to enhancing services for children and youth particularly around mental health and wellness,” said Tatlock. “We’ve already started some work at the John Barsby school … We’d like to grow that from John Barsby. We’ve already done some outreach to [Nanaimo District Secondary] and other high schools and we would like to then look at the second layer, which is our elementary school kids, so that’s where the funding will go to to help enhance and grow and build on the work that we’ve already done.”
“Children in all the communities across Vancouver Island and the surrounding islands are an important demographic we serve,” said Cheryl Damstetter, chief of community health and care for Island Health. “In addition to us there are many key health care partners who will benefit from this funding and support the overall care of children.”
Organizations all across Vancouver Island that will benefit from this investment include:
– Island Health, Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health Programs (Greater Victoria)
– Sooke Family Resource Centre, Prenatal Program (Greater Victoria
– School District 84, Children’s Health Hub (North Island Gold River)
– School District 72, Family Support Program (Campbell River & District)
– Malahat First Nation, Circle of Courage Boys Program (Cowichan Valley)
– Alberni Valley Community School Society, Rural and Remote Access to Services Institute (Alberni West Coast)
– Outreach Therapy, STARS Nuu Chah Nulth Program (Alberni West Coast)
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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