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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Paying it forward:
Young Royal Columbian Hospital patient raises funds to support paediatric patient families
View media clips:
CBC News: Vancouver at Six and CBC Newsworld - July 9, 2009
CBC News: Vancouver at Six – February 19, 2009
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Times – February 20, 2009
New Westminster, B.C., Wednesday, February 18, 2008 – 12-year-old Miranda Tymoschuk of Maple Ridge, BC, will be returning to the Paediatric Department at Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) at
12:00 p.m. today to present the paediatric team with nearly $500 that she has raised to help support other paediatric patient families.
Miranda will be presenting the money, which she wants to set up as the “Pay It Forward Fund”, to the social workers, nurses and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Shafique Pirani, who have cared for her throughout the past 12 years. The funds will be dispursed by the paediatric team to families in need of support while their child is being treated at RCH.
On her own initiative, Tymoschuk has raised this money through the sale of cookies and friendship bracelets to "pay forward" the money her family has accessed through the RCH Foundation Emergency Response Fund throughout the past few years. As she has undergone eight major leg surgeries at RCH in her short life, she and her family have spent much time at the hospital and she wants to ensure that other families in her family's position have money for items such as parking, gas, and meals while they stay with their children at the hospital. Her hope is that other paediatric patients will be inspired to “pay forward” her support to others in the community.
“We are pleased that the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation Emergency Response Fund was able to provide assistance to Miranda and her family when they needed it,” says Adrienne Bakker, RCH president and CEO. “That Miranda has, in turn, chosen to support other young patient families who rely on Royal Columbian Hospital for specialized paediatric care is truly inspiring for people of all ages in the community.”
For more information about Miranda Tymoschuk’s limb lengthening surgery and the “Pay It Forward Fund”, please visit http://theillizarov.yolasite.com/
About Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH)
RCH is one of 12 hospitals under the umbrella of the Fraser Health Authority, and is the major trauma, heart and newborn intensive care centre for 1.5 million people from Burnaby to Boston Bar. RCH is also a UBC teaching hospital with a newly expanded Clinical Academic Campus and a community hospital serving New Westminster residents.
About Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation
Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation is an independent charitable organization that raises millions of dollars every year to build on government support to fund equipment needs, priority projects, education and research at RCH. For more information about Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, please visit rchfoundation.com
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For more information, please contact:
Shannon Henderson - Communications Specialist
Office: 604.520.4438 Cell: 778.928.9936
shannon.henderson@fraserhealth.ca |
