Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital is another step closer to securing new life-saving equipment for each delivery room in the Obstetrics Department, thanks to a generous donation from the Kiwanis Club of Orillia that will allow for the purchase of a new Panda Bedded Warmer with Resuscitation Unit.
The Kiwanis Club of Orillia, founded in 1924 aims to improve the physical, emotional and social lives of young people in the local and global communities. Over recent years, the club has made numerous donations to local children’s charities and has supported projects in Soldiers’ Paediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
“The focus of the Kiwanis Club is to improve the lives of children and I can’t think of a better way to do this than giving them the absolute best chance for quality of life right from the start,” said Kiwanis of Orillia President, Mark Burns. “I know firsthand the value of investing in life-saving equipment for newborns as my daughter spent some time in Soldiers’ NICU. I can appreciate how this new Panda Warmer will be valuable to staff and Soldiers’ youngest patients and their families.”
The new Panda Bedded Warmers with Resuscitation Units put all the necessary intervention tools in one place so, in case of an emergency, newborns in distress can be monitored consistently while receiving adjustable, immediate life-saving treatment.
“Our hospital is fortunate to be part of a community that is committed to improving health and wellness, exemplified by this generous donation by the Kiwanis Club of Orillia,” said Orillia Soldiers Memorial Hospital President and CEO Carmine Stumpo. “The new Panda Warmers will allow our Obstetrics Team to advance the exceptional care they provide for infants and we are most grateful for that.”
Kiwanis incoming President, Heather Breckles was one of the key champions of this project. “Many of us in Kiwanis were watching the amazing success of Charlee’s Run, and I reached out to the Foundation to see how we could help,” recalls Breckles. “At first, we thought we could top up Charlee’s Run to reach three units, but the community beat us to it! When the Foundation said they still needed two more Panda Units, I thought, as a club, we can definitely fund one more.”
President Mark Burns acknowledges the support of the Community in enabling this gift: “The Kiwanis Auction on the first weekend in November is our biggest fundraiser. The support of our donors and bidders is what allows Kiwanis to support children in our community. They have helped make this Panda Warmer a reality for the Hospital.”
The new Panda units will replace the Hospital’s outdated setup and allow Soldiers’ care teams the ability to save valuable seconds when a birth does not go according to plan. The Hospital needs a new unit in each of the five birthing suites to fully incorporate this gold-standard in neo-natal care. Soldiers’ has one final unit to fund to get this project off the ground.
To make a donation towards the final Panda Bedded Warmer, please visit https://osmhfoundation.ca/donate.