As the Christmas lights are put away for another year, the Vernon Jubilee Hospital (VJH) is reveling in the success of its annual holiday fundraiser.

Their 2023 Light a Bulb campaign raised $608,000, thanks to the generosity of the North Okanagan.

鈥淭he community support has just been phenomenal,鈥� said VJH Foundation president and Light a Bulb campaign chair, Michael Kinghorn. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 campaign was focused on securing faster access to diagnostics through the purchase of a state鈥恛f鈥恡he鈥恆rt X鈥恟ay machine. Thanks to our community and very generous donors, we鈥檙e able to bring urgently needed equipment to VJH, which will make a lasting difference to people that need it the most.鈥�

Each year, Light a Bulb helps to support initiatives that are of the greatest need for the hospital. Not only will the campaign fund the new X-ray machine, it will also fund the renovation of the space where it will be housed.

VJH鈥檚 Imaging Department is one of the busiest in the Interior, performing more than 45,000 X鈥恟ays annually.

Despite working seven days a week, wait times can still be up to four weeks.

鈥淏y expanding our medical imaging capacity, we are ensuring that more people have access to the best standard of care,鈥� said Dr. Adam Weathermon, former department head of Imaging at VJH. 鈥淎 new X鈥恟ay machine and enhanced space means better, faster care for thousands more people in our region each year.鈥�

A large swath of the $608,000 came from GivingTuesday, where Grizzly Curb and Concrete and Linda and Gord Bell each provided $50,000, which kick-started a wave of giving that continued through the end of the campaign.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been truly remarkable watching over the past eight weeks how our community has come together and rallied to support healthcare,鈥� said Kinghorn. 鈥淚 often say that every gift, no matter the amount, makes a difference and donations from community groups, local companies and individuals made this year鈥檚 Light a Bulb one of our most successful fundraisers ever.鈥�

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