Dave Castle’s Story
Dave Castle had just wrapped up with a client at his barbershop in Delta when a colleague asked him if something was wrong. Feeling wobbly on his feet, everything around the 73-year-old suddenly went blurry. He slipped in and out of consciousness as the ambulance rushed him to Royal Columbian Hospital and its 24/7 acute stroke team.
New round of equipment purchases funded by Royal Columbian donors
New Westminster, B.C. – {May 13, 2020} – Hundreds of thousands of dollars in new equipment and technology has been […]
Critical care for a third of BC
Royal Columbian Hospital is currently undergoing one of the largest government-funded health care redevelopments in British Columbia’s history. This $1.49 […]
Charles Evans’s Story
Those who knew him say Charles Evans was frugal with himself but generous with others. He moved to New Westminster from Winnipeg after retiring from a career in law and lived in the same condo for three decades. Before his death in 2017, Charles quietly designated Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation as the beneficiary of what is one of the largest legacy gifts ever in the hospital’s existence.
Trevor Lovelace’s Story
Trevor Lovelace was getting ready for work when his left hand stopped functioning. His arm was numb and tingly. At first, he thought about ignoring it and carrying on to work. Thankfully his wife was there to push him to make a trip to Royal Columbian Hospital’s emergency department. Following a CT scan, the 51-year-old New Westminster resident was confirmed as having suffered a stroke.
Martin Bisset’s Story
Angie Bisset was reading when she first heard the strange sound. She would later describe it as either a gargling or vomiting noise. When their golden retriever started barking and running back and forth from where her husband Martin was working out in their Nanaimo home, she decided to go check. What she found was terrifying. By the next day, the 39-year-old Martin would be helicoptered to Royal Columbian Hospital for a neurosurgical procedure to save the life of the father of two.
Donor-funded research grants
Research is the first step towards innovation in patient care. It’s with that in mind that Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation […]
Valerie Vandervelden’s Story
77-year old Valerie Vandervelden felt calm leading up to her scheduled heart procedure. She fully trusted Dr. Albert Chan, the interventional cardiologist who would be providing a drug-free option to lessen her risk of stroke. But as Valerie was brought into the cardiac catheterization lab, the Coquitlam resident was surprised at the large number of people standing by. She soon learned she was about to become part of Royal Columbian history, thanks to donors to Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation.
Fraser Health creates centralized 24/7 stroke program
In a major step toward establishing Royal Columbian Hospital as a comprehensive stroke centre, Fraser Health is now providing centralized support for stroke patients with the implementation of a 24/7 Regional Acute Stroke Team. Stroke is the fourth-highest cause of death and the number one cause of acquired long-term disability in adult British Columbians.
Gurcharan Dhindsa’s Story
Gurcharan Singh Dhindsa remembers an intense toothache. He felt unsteady as he walked down the stairs at his local Gurdwara. The 81-year old Abbotsford man somehow drove home and lay down on his bed. When his wife and granddaughter checked on him, he could no longer speak. He fell over when they tried to get him up. Unbeknownst to the family, a large clot had blocked one of the major arteries providing blood flow to the brain, triggering a potentially devastating and deadly stroke.