This year’s Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign is out to brighten Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
Emergency lights in the perinatal operating room at NRGH is the target of this year’s campaign, which started Monday, April 29, and continues through Sunday, May 5. All proceeds from the purchase of chocolate chunk Smile Cookies across the city will go toward the cause.
“Currently we have a dedicated operating room for the perinatal units, people having babies and need Caesarean sections,” said Trina Knight, manager for child, youth and family acute care at NRGH. “Our lights need to be upgraded and replaced. They don’t make replacement parts unfortunately and they’re coming to the end of their life.”
Some of the uses for the surgical lights include high-risk births such as twins and babies who may need resuscitation.
This is the 14th year the campaign has raised money for the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation, but the first time a specific item has been targeted.
Barney Ellis-Perry, CEO of the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation, said the lights were chosen due to being “down on the list” for priorities, but also a way to improve care.
“It’s not being funded by our current allocation by Island Health,” Ellis-Perry said. “It’s a dogfight to try to get your equipment up the list, so when we can work with partners, like Tim Hortons, to fund items that would just otherwise not be funded, it allows us to improve care at the hospital.”
Last year Nanaimo Tim Hortons raised just over $44,000. This year, to coincide with the company’s 60th anniversary, Tim Hortons francisee owner Lilian Mayne said they’re looking to raise $60,000 – which just so happens to also be the approximate cost of the lights.
“It’s always really gratifying to see the pieces of equipment the Smile Cookie program backs up, so it’s just been a great partnership,” Mayne said. “We hope to grow it again bigger than last year.”
READ ALSO: Annual cookie campaign keeps smiles on faces of Vancouver Island kids