Caring for families’
unique needs
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Progress Report 2021/22 |
A hospital is a place of healing and care, but for a child with a serious illness, a hospital can feel strange and uncomfortable, and maybe even scary. They could be surrounded by unfamiliar faces and machines with blinking lights and weird noises, and undergo treatments that can feel unpleasant or sometimes painful.
BC Children’s Hospital is working to improve the health outcomes of children across the province in every way, and to achieve that goal we need to care for every aspect of these kids’ health — physical, mental and emotional.
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The hospital is home to numerous specialty teams who work alongside medical experts to provide support for young patients and assistance to their families. While the doctors, nurses and medical specialists treat the physical ailments, these specialized teams are there to soothe, comfort and distract — providing resources and support that are essential for not just the patients, but for their families as well. |
Here are just a few examples of how the support from donors like you has helped provide this holistic care to kids and families this past year. |
Giving busy families some peace of mind |
For families with more than one child, the Sibling Support Centre at BC Children’s Hospital, which opened its doors last year, provides a valuable childcare resource. This child-minding facility, with a full staff of over 40 trained volunteers, features a safe, short-term play and creative setting for siblings of children being treated on the BC Children’s campus. The Sibling Support Centre allows families to focus on their sick child’s medical appointments, while feeling at ease knowing their other children are safe and engaged with age-appropriate activities. Since the Centre opened in June 2021 it has received over 200 visits, caring for siblings ranging from 3-16 years old. |
Working to meet
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The Social Work department at BC Children’s assists more than 200 families every year in a variety of ways, such as providing essential resources to those who may be struggling financially. To help families travel to the hospital — some with immunocompromised children — the Social Work team provides crucial items like transportation vouchers, gas cards, food vouchers and other necessities. For families who are struggling, especially during the pandemic, this support can be literally life-saving. |
Creating a healing environment for
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The hospital’s burn care suite provides specialized care for kids who have suffered serious burn injuries. Due to the nature of these injuries, treatments can involve a series of painful procedures. These patients benefit greatly from a clinical setting that promotes family-centred care, healing and recovery. Thanks to a very generous $1 million commitment from the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, a series of enhancements will help create an environment that promotes healing, calm and recovery. The burn unit will also be enhanced with new artwork, creating a healing environment to help distract and soothe young patients, and dedicated Child Life specialists who will provide kids with much-needed moments of play, fun and distraction. |
A community of care
For children with serious illnesses, the path of healing is one they should not walk alone. Thanks to the generosity of donors like the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, the Estate of Lillian and Harry Janus, the Lalji family and the Shinozaki family, among many others, specialized teams and resources are in place to meet each child’s physical and emotional needs. The children and their families can then focus on what truly matters — healing and getting back to their lives.