The Red Deer Regional Health Foundation has put out the call for t-shirts and pajama bottoms, or sweat pants, for patients who need clothes so they can leave Red Deer’s emergency department.
Foundation CEO Manon Therriault said sometimes it’s necessary for trauma patients to have their clothes cut off for medical treatment, and staff have to find something for people to wear home.
“It’s not something they always have on hand,” Therriault said.
New or used clothing for both men and women are being accepted. Gift-in-kind tax receipts can be issued if proof of payment is provided. Monetary donations will also be accepted. To donate call the foundation office at 403-343-4773.
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The health foundation raises money for programs, services, and medical equipment for the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre and other facilities in Alberta Health Services Central Zone.
Therriault said it’s the first time the ER has requested clothing donations. Storage is limited but it could become a regular campaign to collect a small amount of clothing for the ER to have on hand.
Donations of new teddy bears are regularly requested for young patients at the hospital.
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She said recently the foundation has also reached out to donors to help fund a $200,000 Lumenis pulse laser used to break apart large bladder stones or hard calcium oxalate stones, a common type of kidney stone.
The laser will be used for prostate procedures and helps to decrease the time a patient spends in surgery. A second machine will allow more laser urological cases to be completed and reduce the risk of service disruption should the current and aging laser fail.
“Not having this type of equipment results in delayed services, or people having to go to Calgary or Edmonton, so it’s a big priority for the foundation to work with the operating room right now,” Therriault said.
Currently, the operating department makes up about 50 per cent of list of capital equipment the foundation is looking to fund, she said.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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