(Burnaby, BC) Terry Beech, Member of Parliament for Burnaby North-Seymour, presented the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Emblem to Burnaby Hospital Foundation in recognition of their noteworthy service to the community, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“2020 was a scary and uncertain time for many in the community and especially for those inside the hospital,” shares Kristy James, Burnaby Hospital Foundation President & CEO. “It is an honour and our privilege to receive this award as recognition of our leadership and work as a Foundation, but it really is a recognition of the dedication of our medical staff and how our community is willing to step up in support of each other.”
In early 2020, just a few short weeks after launching their largest capital campaign to date, the Proud History, Bright Future redevelopment campaign, Burnaby Hospital faced a different and unexpected challenge – combatting the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burnaby Hospital Foundation was quick to adapt and launched a COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Within two days, the Foundation raised enough to purchase an additional ventilator to use in their Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In addition, the Foundation’s efforts inspired many to contribute in a variety of ways, such as collecting hundreds of meals, hotel vouchers, and personal protective equipment for the frontline medical and support teams.
The Platinum Jubilee medal was created to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second to the Throne as Queen of Canada. This medal celebrates outstanding volunteers, members of the Canadian Armed Forces and emergency services, and other people who have made a positive impact on society.
The medal features the Royal Crown and the Royal Cypher (EIIR) as personal symbols representing Queen Elizabeth II. With its seven-sided shape, seven maple leaves and seven maple pearls, it marks the seven decades of service to Canada and embodies the idea of celebration.
“I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing the incredible growth of Kristy and her team at Burnaby Hospital Foundation over the last five years,” shares Terry Beech. “The choice to select the Foundation as a recipient of this award was easy. With their remarkable efforts to address an unprecedented pandemic and their current fundraising successes in support of the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital, I am confident that with their help, our beloved community hospital will be well-prepared for any challenges the future might bring.”
Since the start of the pandemic, the Foundation has continued to adapt and has found new ways to raise funds to improve the hospital, as well as motivate and appreciate our healthcare heroes. In addition to their COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, the Foundation has now raised over $30 million in the last two and a half years towards the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital.
