Windy Slopes Health Foundation launches 35th annual Trees of Hope campaign with $30,000 goal to replace aging tub at Pincher Creek Health Centre.
’Tis the season of giving, and with the holidays approaching, the Windy Slopes Health Foundation has launched its 35th annual Trees of Hope campaign.
The campaign is the foundation’s primary yearly fundraiser, designed to enhance patient care at Pincher Creek Health Centre by providing equipment, upgrades or programs with the help of community donations.
This year, the fundraising goal has been set at $30,000 to support replacement of the aging tub in the acute-care unit with a new Century Bath System, a fixed-height, keyhole-shaped tub designed to improve accessibility, patient comfort and overall quality of care.
The campaign supports purchases that fall outside of the health centre’s allocated budget, selected in consultation with the site manager at the centre. According to Suzanne Curran, who chairs the foundation, the upgrade is long overdue.
“We work very closely with the site manager, who comes forward with a few ideas, and what we do is choose one of those ideas to use as a major fundraising project for the trees of hope,” she says.
“The current tub is as old as the hospital, which is over 40 years old, and it served the hospital quite well over the years, but is now in need of replacement.”
Suzanne notes that updated bathing equipment plays a more significant role in patient care than some might realize.
“Oftentimes, bathtubs are the best way to accommodate patients and keep them fresh and clean, and it also helps nurses provide support in that particular area,” she explains.
Replacing the outdated unit with a more modern and accessible model will ensure that patients, especially those who cannot safely use a shower, receive care that preserves dignity, comfort and hygiene during their stay.
It is also the type of purchase unlikely to happen without local support. Many of the upgrades funded by Trees of Hope would take a long time or simply not happen if left solely to the provincial system.
As Suzanne stresses, the foundation’s ability to fund these improvements depends entirely on community generosity.
“Most of the things that we are purchasing for the site here in Pincher Creek are things that the health-care system is unable to provide,” she says.
That generosity has made a tangible impact in past years.
In 2023, the campaign funded upgrades to the palliative care family room, a project Suzanne recalls as deeply meaningful to both families and staff. The space, refreshed with new furniture, a microwave and a fridge, has since received many compliments from visitors grateful for the comfort it provides.
“It made it feel more comfortable and a little bit easier for the family to cope with the illness and possibly the passing of their family member,” she says.
Suzanne says the generous response to Trees of Hope each year speaks to the character of Pincher Creek and surrounding communities that support local health care.
“I never, ever underestimate the power of our community, and I’m always overwhelmed by the generosity of the community we live in,” she says.
“We just never, ever take for granted that these people are what make Windy Slopes operate. We can’t do what we do without our community involvement.”
The campaign typically runs through the holiday season and into the new year, with donations accepted until the end of January.
As always, Suzanne hopes residents will consider supporting a project that will directly benefit patients, staff and families at the health centre.
Donations to Trees of Hope can be made by sending an e-Transfer to [email protected]; mailing a cheque to PO Box 2554, Pincher Creek, AB, T0K 1W0; or dropping contributions into the secure donation box in the hospital’s waiting room.
Contributions can also be made online at windyslopes.ca, where more information on the foundation and its work is available.
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