Light A Bulb Number 30

The tree on top of Vernon Jubilee Hospital is ready to get lit-up again.

That marks the start of the Light A Bulb fundraiser, now into its 30th year.

Lisa Westerman, executive director of the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation, says the campaign has raised 4.5 million dollars over the years for hospital equipment.

“This year the funds are going to cancer screening, so we’ll be fundraising for equipment like endoscopes. The goal is $250,000,” Westerman tells Kiss FM.

“It’s an important need. To be able to increase the through put and to have more people getting screen quicker, we’ll have a better result for patients at the end.”

Photo: Dr. Curtis Mohamed, 2017 Light a Bulb Campaign Chair, kicked off the $250,000 campaign November 8 to raise diagnostic testing and cancer screening equipment for Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

Light A Bulb 2017 chair, Dr. Curtis Mohamed, says each year more than 5,000 patients undergo endoscopic diagnostic testing at VJH’s   Ambulatory Care Unit, with half of those having polyps removed.

“Half of the patients we scope in the provincial colon screening program have polyps removed. These are small tumours that can turn to cancer,” says Dr. Hamish Hwang, VJH General Surgeon.  “By removing these polyps, we prevent hundreds of people in our community from getting colorectal cancer every year.”

The official campaign launch will be Monday, November 13 with the lighting of the hospital tree on top of VJH.  The bulbs will shine all week, then will be turned off and lit throughout the campaign in stages as the Foundation advances towards its goal.

From November 13 to 20 Light a Bulb donation brochures will be delivered in mailboxes throughout the North Okanagan.

Each $35 tax deductible gift will light one bulb on the tree of lights a top Vernon Jubilee Hospital; $500 will light an entire string.

Donations can be made online at www.vjhfoundation.org or mailed to Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation, 2101 – 32nd Street Vernon BC V1T 5L2.