SAVE BC

‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ is a common saying in the health care world. With heart disease on the rise, a preventative program named SAVE BC has seen remarkable success at KGH over the last three years. This donor initiated and funded research program focuses on early detection, intervention, and education, supporting those at risk of developing premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.  

Researchers study those living with extremely premature heart disease, and their family members, over decades. This not only benefits participants, but the research also aids in expanding our knowledge of heart disease in general. An additional $156,000 has been allocated to continue this imperative research program at KGH.  

SAVE BC helps patients, families, and health care professionals better identify, treat, and prevent premature heart disease. 

“The goal of SAVE BC is to enable the identification of novel disease markers and predictors, and ultimately, inform preventative and therapeutic opportunities for patients and families across BC,” shares Dr. Frank Halperin, Medical Director of Cardiology and SAVE BC Principal Investigator for Kelowna. 

BREATHE WELL WITH THE YMCA

Living with a respiratory condition can be devastating, and some struggle to catch their breath doing household chores or even changing clothes. To improve quality of life for those these individuals, KGH offers a pulmonary rehabilitation program with a goal of helping patients graduate on to a community program.  

Although the YMCA of Southern Interior BC offers a ‘Breathe Well’ program, there is an extensive waitlist. With limited access, many individuals regress back into the medical system before even accessing the YMCA program. 

Thanks to the generosity of our community, a total of $210,800 in funding was allocated to enable the YMCA to deliver the program for two years, increasing program capacity from 50 to 240 participants per year. Breathe Well has Clinical Exercise Physiologists oversee fitness sessions, exercise plans, and education tailored for those living with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory conditions. Breathe Well prevents future hospital visits by helping these individuals lead a healthier and more active lifestyle.  

These donations will reduce waitlists, help more individuals graduate from the program, prevent relapses, and improve health outcomes for hundreds of community members living with COPD and respiratory conditions.

EVE MANIKIN

Meet EVE, she’s not your average manikin but a highly advanced patient simulator. EVE comes with a 3D heart, built in textbook, online courses, practice tests, training videos, an on-board system tutor, and so much more. She’s so sophisticated she can even simulate both male and female patients. 

Although innovative technology like this greatly enhances a medical student’s educational experience, manikins like EVE aren’t used often, even in larger cities, due to the price tag. 

Thanks to generous donations, the KGH Foundation was able to allocate over $124,000 to bring this state of the art patient simulator to the Pritchard Simulation Centre at KGH. Now, students and physicians can fine tune their diagnostic skills in ultra realistic simulated scenarios, and perform true to life patient examinations. With over 10,000 pathology variations, Eve’s robust capabilities create an interactive and multi-sensory experience that dramatically increases the level of realism and diversity.  

Investing in technology like Eve advances the innovative educational environment necessary for world class health care, right here in Kelowna. Being the second medical centre in Canada to have this system will help train and retain medical students and physicians, establish KGH as an innovative leader in health care, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.