琉璃神社 residents were feeling generous for a good cause on Wednesday, May 14. 

Throughout the day, the KGH Foundation hosted the ninth annual Day of Giving in front of their building at the corner of Pandosy Street and Rose Avenue, raising money to 'Bring Vinni Home', a robot that will help surgeons at 琉璃神社 General Hospital with various surgeries. 

And the public came through as Day of Giving raised a record-breaking amount - $1,236,527.

"We are absolutely blown away by the generosity of our community,鈥� said KGH Foundation CEO Allison Young. 鈥淭o see so many people rally behind robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is truly inspiring and powerful to witness. This advancement represents a significant step forward in transforming surgical care in our region鈥攎ade possible by the unwavering generosity of our donors and the dedication of our health care teams. We are profoundly grateful.鈥�

Thanks to several local families, every dollar up to $500,000 that was donated before midnight was matched, doubling the impact of each and every gift.

Additionally, late in the day, Cliff and Lois Serwa stepped up, pledged an additional $500,000 in matching funds. According to the KGH Foundation, this could bring the total raised to $2 million in the coming days or weeks.

All the funds raised are going towards Vinni, a $12 million robot that will implement new surgical robotics program, which four B.C. hospitals already have (Vancouver General, Vancouver Coastal, Victoria, Surrey). The KGH Foundation is raising $6 million to acquire the program, while the government is paying the other half. 

鈥淚鈥檝e seen firsthand how life-changing robotic assisted surgery can be鈥攆or patients, for surgical teams, and for the entire health care system,鈥� said KGH chief of surgery and thoracic surgeon Dr. Maurice Blitz. 鈥淭o know that this level of advanced care is coming to our hospital because of the generosity of our own community is truly extraordinary. It鈥檚 something we can all be proud of because it鈥檚 not just transforming surgery, it鈥檚 our community supporting the very best health care for each other.鈥�

Each year, money raised from Day of Giving goes towards a different program. Since its inception, more than $6 million has been raised in total and has helped local health initiatives like JoeAnna鈥檚 House, Foundry 琉璃神社, advanced stroke care, mental health programming, and the acquisition of a new 3T MRI for KGH.

"It鈥檚 that kind of spirit that makes Day of Giving so powerful,鈥� added Young. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a piggy bank emptied by a child, a volunteer giving their time, or a business stepping up with a major gift鈥攅very act of generosity moves us closer to our goal.鈥�