Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation will raise $10 million in support of the single largest capital investment in health care ever made by the B.C. government.
The Building Foundations Campaign is a three year fundraising effort launched by the Foundation to coincide with construction of an eight-storey Critical Care Tower, which is the centrepiece of a $512 million expansion and redevelopment of Surrey Memorial Hospital.
“Surrey has a long and rich tradition of supporting this hospital,” says SMH Foundation President and CEO Jane Adams. “This is such a significant expansion of Surrey Memorial that it will no doubt inspire our donors to help make sure we can open the Critical Care Tower with the very best in equipment.”
The Building Foundations Campaign is the Foundation’s latest fundraising drive, following completion of a campaign to support the new Emergency Centre that will open in the Critical Care Tower and the 100 Days to Give Campaign that matched a $5 million donation from BC entrepreneur Jim Pattison.
EllisDon, one of the largest building contractors in Canada and a leading member of the consortium building the Critical Care Tower, has taken on a leadership role in the Building Foundations Campaign. The company will help raise $1 million from the construction industry.
“Surrey’s rapid growth has been good for many companies in our industry,” says EllisDon Vice President and BC Area Manager David McFarlane. “I would encourage all our colleagues to give back to the community by supporting health care.”
Construction of the Critical Care Tower began earlier this year and will be complete in two stages. A new Emergency Centre will open in 2013 while the rest of the Tower will be ready in 2014
“The expansion at Surrey Memorial, along with the recently opened Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre, total close to three-quarters of a billion dollars in new health infrastructure in Surrey,” says BC Health Minister Michael de Jong. “These are major additions to the region.”
“Our city’s population has been among the fastest growing in the country for many years now,” says Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “The expansion currently taking place at Surrey Memorial Hospital will help it keep up with the health care needs of our residents.”
“We’re adding 151 beds to Surrey Memorial, which includes a 48-bed neonatal intensive care unit, as well as a much larger Emergency department, specialized medical units, even hundreds of new parking spots and a rooftop helipad,” says Fraser Health President and CEO Dr. Nigel Murray. “We’ll be able to train more new doctors and expand our capacity to conduct research, both important factors in recruiting health care professionals.”
Established in 1992, Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation has raised more than $55 million to purchase medical equipment, fund innovative programs, and support training and research.