Visions Gala Raises $2.5 Million
Photo caption (from left to right): Avery Brohman (CEO of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation), Dr. Bri Budlovsky, Dr. Kristen Attwell-Pope, Dr. Alan Andrew, Krystal Hanson, Kristine Lee, Sophia Chadwick, Dr. William Cunningham, Charlotte Salomon (Visions Committee Chair), Mary Lou Newbold, Jane Johnston
The Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s signature gala, Visions, raised a record $2,510,000 in support of medical imaging equipment at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals. Held at the iconic Fairmont Empress and Victoria Conference Centre on Saturday, November 25, the sold-out event welcomed 600 guests, including community leaders and care team members from our hospitals.
“Intentional philanthropy was at the forefront of the evening to bring an advanced MRI machine to our hospitals, and it was overwhelmingly powerful. We are touched by the generosity of our community who united to lift up care teams and the patients they so selflessly serve each day in our Victoria hospitals,” says Avery Brohman, Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Hospitals Foundation. “This night is a defining moment for our Foundation, our cause, and patient care on Vancouver Island. On behalf of my entire team, a most sincere thank you.”
The Foundation is grateful for the momentous show of generosity through ticket sales to Visions, as well as corporate sponsorships, a bear raffle, live and silent auctions, and a pledge drive.
Townline Homes, a prominent real estate developer in Victoria and Vancouver, generously matched the evening’s exhilarating pledge drive up to $500,000. Incredibly, a second $500,000 match was gifted by a local couple, who wishes to remain anonymous.
The pledge drive’s momentum was continued by three separate pledges of $100,000—from Visions Committee Chair Charlotte Salomon, Victoria Radiologists, and Clint and Carole Forster.
Standing ovations fueled the energy of the room.
“Remarkable gifts presented throughout the evening made the 31st anniversary of Visions one for the record books, and one that will be impactful for our hospitals,” says Charlotte Salomon, KC, Visions Steering Committee Chair. “Our whole community gains from the generosity espoused by the sponsors and guests of Visions. The funds raised here stay in our local hospitals, ensuring the care teams, who so diligently care for others, have access to the best equipment available.”
The event included a territory acknowledgment by Ahousaht Elder Mark Atleo who shared “we are all one”, and an update from 2022 Visions patient spokesperson and Saanich PD Constable Damian Pellew.
The Foundation shone a light on multiple patient and caregiver stories throughout the evening, culminating into a profound tribute to the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Clinic at Royal Jubilee Hospital, a major consumer of MRI technology. Dr. Kristen Atwell-Pope, neurologist and Medical Director for Brain Health on Vancouver Island, and patient spokesperson Rahul Ray, honoured the people, process and technology that are essential to the care provided in the Clinic.
The funds raised at Visions will support Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s $11 million campaign, Imaging is Power, launched in October. The campaign is supporting upgrades to three MRIs, one CT Scanner, one SPECT/CT Scanner, and one C-Arm at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals, the referral sites for all advanced care on Vancouver Island. At the beginning of the evening, Visions emcee Al Ferraby, from CFAX 1070, shared the ambitious goal for the night of $2 million, which would fund the refurbishment of one MRI. Thanks to the benevolence of many, that goal was greatly exceeded.
With the funds raised at Visions, Imaging is Power is now at an impressive $5 million of its goal. The campaign was launched early October.
For more information about Imaging is Power, and to contribute to the campaign, visit www.victoriahf.ca/imaging, call 250-519-1750, or mail a donation to Wilson Block, 1952 Bay Street, Victoria BC, V8R 1J8. All denominations make an impact.
