“Light the Way Wraps Up”

RN Brenda Burke with defibrilator

AMHERST, NS (February 6th, 2008) – “We’re extremely pleased with the success of the recent Light the Way campaign”, said David Wood, Chair of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation, “our goal was to raise just over $50,000 – we actually raised just over $62,000 – it’s quite amazing really”.

The Light the Way event was officially launched on Wednesday, December 5th with approximately 500 attendees coming to the regional acute care centre for the lighting event. Greeted by the music of the Amherst Cadet Corps Band outside and by the Oxford FunTones and the CRHCC Hospital choir inside, a festive event was well underway.

The animated lighting and sound show continued to play throughout the holiday season for patients and visiting families and friends. “It was really enjoyable and a nice thing for the patients,” said Joyce Anne McManaman of the Auxiliary Café, “patients would come down and sit with their loved ones in the evening and watch the show. It was a Christmas away from home for some but at least there was an opportunity to enjoy this part of the holidays together.”

The proceeds from the “2007 Light the Way” will go towards providing five (5) new defibrillators for the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre. Defibrillators are used in the event of cardiac arrest to restart a patient’s heart. The defibrillator replacements are needed for the Units of Intensive Care, Emergency, Medical and Maternal/Child. “Thank you to everyone who helped this year,” said Wood, “for donating, for honoring loved ones, for helping patients, for volunteering, for perhaps giving someone some additional time in this world. It’s the little things we do that sometimes make the biggest difference in life.”

The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is a registered Canadian not-for-profit charity dedicated to enhancing the provision of a high standard of health care within Cumberland County by raising funds and supporting new and improved services, programs, equipment and facilities.