Lights of Hope campaign making holidays brighter at Chinook Regional Hospital

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on December 20, 2022.

The Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation is helping shine a bit of Christmas spirit with its annual Lights of Hope.

Donations to the campaign throughout the month of December will help the Chinook Regional Hospital and Alberta Health Services in Lethbridge and southern Alberta.

The Lights of Hope campaign helps ensure those on the front lines are equipped with state-of-the-art healthcare equipment, vital programs, and special projects for all using the services.

“Once a year around this time we like to have this campaign. We are very proud of the amount of support we receive from the community every year,” said Allan Bartolcic, executive director with the Foundation. “It is really critical that we attract and retain the best health care professionals in our area. It is important that we provide them with state-of-the-art equipment and these donations really help to help the community and the opportunity to support the hospital.”

Donations are accepted online at crhfoundation.ca/content.php?p=17, by phone at 403-388-6001, or by coming down to the hospital.

“In the hospital everyone has to wear masks, they can come to the hospital, we have limited hours from nine to three. Donors can do cash, cheque, credit card, debit, whatever it might be,” said Bartolcic. “When people donate, they get a light bulb that goes up around the hospital. We ask if they want to personally write something on there, different colours, whatever it might be. Then we hang them up on various displays in the hospital on the main atrium floor.”

In 2021, the Lights of Hope Campaign raised over $140,000, one of the biggest annual fundraisers.

“I believe it’s been consistently around $130,000 – $140,000 over the last number of years. We are certainly hoping to raise roughly the same amount of money coming up here for 2022,” said Bartolcic. “Lethbridge is one of the most charitable cities in Canada, if not the most charitable. We are very proud to call Lethbridge home.”

Fundraisers help support essential hospital programs like the newest Inpatient Psychiatry Assessment teams, multi-disciplinary groups of professionals led by Chelsea Slobodan providing patients experiencing mental health crises with access to a range of healthcare professionals.

“It’s to do with mental health care and addictions. We know this wouldn’t be possible with the donations from the community,” said Bartolcic.

With donations helping support those working in Lethbridge’s medical field, the Lights of Hope campaign will shine on for those in need.

“We are really happy and excited, based on the momentum we are certainly ahead of last year’s numbers,” said Bartolcic. “Also, everyone’s donations will be in the Lethbridge Herald (ad) coming in January. So everyone can see the names and the tributes in memory that we will be posting.”

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