Foundation announces $8 million campaign to bring advanced stroke care to KGH

The launch was delayed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but that has not dampened enthusiasm for the KGH Foundation’s newest fundraising initiative.

Today marks the official kick-off of the foundation’s Every Moment Matters campaign – a call to action to the community to help raise $8 million to radically advance stroke care in the Southern Interior.

Last year, there were over 1,800 reported cases of stroke in the Interior Health region. While advancements in acute care, treatment and rehabilitation have been made in recent years, stroke is still the leading cause of long-term disability in adults and the third leading cause of death B.C. One in six adults will experience stroke in their lifetime. The impact on patients and families is devastating.

For every minute that passes once a stroke is in progress, 2 million brain cells die. Rapid access to advanced technologies and specialist care and can be the difference between life, recovery and the unthinkable.

The Every Moment Matters campaign aims to fund not only the acquisition of the most advanced, acute care equipment at Kelowna General Hospital, but also promises to touch all stages of the stroke care continuum, from onset to rehabilitation, research and prevention.

Dr. Aleksander Tkach, KGH Vascular Neurologist and Medical Director of Interior Health’s Stroke Network. (Submitted image/KGH Foundation)

Dr. Aleksander Tkach, KGH Vascular Neurologist and Medical Director of Interior Health’s Stroke Network, is part of the team of physicians and clinicians playing an instrumental role in the advancement plan.

“As the population grows and ages, we can no longer ignore the need in the interior for patients to be able to access the best possible stroke care close to home,” said Dr. Tkach. “The stroke care plan for KGH is one of the most exciting and progressive advancements in patient care our region has seen in years.

“It is an exciting day to see this campaign launched and to know the life-changing impacts that it will have for people and families,” said Susan Brown, Interior Health President & CEO. “We are blessed with a beautiful geography across our whole Interior region, but it is also incredibly challenging when time is short and an individual experiencing a stroke needs emergency health care. Today, the option for many people is a long trip outside of our health authority. Moving forward with these enhancements to our stroke care here in Interior Health is a significant step to having world-class care here, closer to home.”

“The stroke campaign is ambitious and will have far-reaching impact,” said KGH Foundation CEO, Doug Rankmore. “It will save lives and dramatically improve the quality of others – and its success really relies on the continued support of our very generous community.”

“What we have seen once again this past year, even amidst the challenges we’ve faced, is that exceptional health care is important to our community, and a priority for all of us,” added Rankmore. “When stroke strikes, and every moment matters, we can be ready.”