Royal Canadian Legion Branch 17 Courtenay donates $30,000 to support healthcare for
veterans, their families and the Comox Valley community

 

A donation of $30,000 was made to the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation towards the purchase of a vital piece of cardiac equipment from the Courtenay Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund. This gift will support the purchase of the echocardiogram – a heart ultrasound that will enable cardiologists to accurately assess and diagnose the best path of patient care. Over the past 23 years, the Courtenay Legion has contributed over $250,000 to support healthcare in our community. The generosity of the Legion has positively impacted areas of care such as rehab services, long-term care, heart and lung testing, surgical services, the emergency department and cancer care.

The Legion’s generous support of the echocardiogram – one of the most widely used diagnostic imaging modalities in cardiology at the Comox Valley Hospital will provide superior cardiac imaging to 140 patients each week – more than 6,500 annually. This care is both for patients who are in hospital receiving acute care, and members of our community needing cardiac images to inform treatment plans. The Comox Valley Hospital is the only site that provides echocardiograms to children across the North Island. On average, 2 to 3 children every week require this testing at our hospital.

“The mission of the Royal Canadian Legion is to serve veterans, including serving military and RCMP members and their families, to promote Remembrance, and to serve our communities and our country,” stated Courtenay Legion President Barbara Linton. “Our Legion is very proud to support healthcare in our community.”

“The Courtenay Legion has been one of our biggest community partners for many years and we are so very grateful for the support they provide to healthcare in our community,” says Rhonda Stevens, Veteran and Director of Partnerships & Collaboration for the Foundation.

“The number of people the Courtenay Legion has helped over the years through their wonderful generosity is heartwarming. Service clubs such as the Courtenay Legion do so much to support our Veterans, their families and our community. On behalf of the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation, I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to Courtenay Legion Branch 17 for their generous support. Thank you.”

Photo (L to R): Courtenay Legion President Barbara Linton, Rhonda Stevens from CVHF, and Poppy Campaign Chair Dave Bell.