B.C. BUSINESS LEADER DONATES $800,000 TO RENOVATE CARDIAC CARE UNIT
A significant donation from Mr. Didar S.(Ted) Doman, one of British Columbia’s most highly-regarded business leaders, will fund a much-needed renovation to Royal Jubilee Hospital’s Cardiac Short Stay unit. The $800,000 gift to the Victoria Hospitals Foundation will renovate and equip the 18-bed, 4-chair recovery unit for patients who have undergone heart catheterization, electrophysiology and other cardiac procedures. Patients recover in the Cardiac Short Stay unit in telemetry monitored beds or special recliner chairs, depending on their conditions. Most patients require stays of no more than a day.
The renovation is part of the Foundation’s current Campaign for Cardiac Care, In a Heartbeat: Everyday Miracles. The campaign, launched last October, is raising $3.2 million to fund 34 pieces of leading-edge equipment in 7 different areas of cardiac care. With this generous gift, the campaign has reached $2.4 million of its goal to date, with $800,000 left to be raised.
For Mr. Doman, this gift is an important acknowledgment and thank you for the critical role Royal Jubilee Hospital has played in his and his family’s life. “Royal Jubilee has been front and centre in my personal cardiac healthcare for 40 years,” said Mr. Doman. “Throughout all my cardiac experiences, I have felt incredibly grateful to have access to such world-class care. This hospital saved my life and I am very thankful for the excellent care I received here.”
The Cardiac Short Stay unit was built in 2002. The renovation will expand the space to allow for nearly 25% more patients to recover safely from heart catheterization, electrophysiology and other cardiac procedures. As a result of this project, there will be clearer sightlines for caregivers, and 4 recovery recliner chairs will be replaced and expanded to 10 recovery recliner chairs. These chairs will be more ergonomically safe for staff and will provide superior safety and comfort for patients. The renovations made possible by Mr. Doman’s gift will make the space more efficient and improve care for cardiac patients.
Victoria Hospitals Foundation Board Chair Bruce Dyck expressed his gratitude to Mr. Doman for his role in improving cardiac care for Vancouver Island residents. “This remarkable leadership and generosity helps cardiac teams provide world-class care to patients at one of the most innovative cardiology departments in Canada. Not only is Mr. Doman supporting state-of-the-art care for people who need it today; he is also making it possible for the Cardiac Short Stay unit to increase its capacity and meet current and future needs. We cannot thank him enough for this powerful gift.”
Dr. Manjeet Mann, Island Health’s Executive Medical Director for Heart Health added, “The cardiac team at Royal Jubilee is continually focused on excellence and bringing our patients the best care possible. This very generous gift from Mr. Doman helps us to do just that. Our Cardiac Short Stay unit was the first centre in Canada to introduce radial artery diagnostic and interventional procedures and, as such, was also the first centre in Canada to implement the chair recovery model following diagnostic and interventional procedures. Patients undergoing radial access procedures recover in recliner chairs, heal faster and go home to their families sooner than those who recover in a hospital bed.”
