Originally published by the Chronicle Herald. Pictured: Michelle Morrison (far right) with members of the QEII’s Coronary Care Unit team.
A small dose of comfort and care goes a long way when someone is going through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
“I’ve seen firsthand the impact that little items – like bedside cots, blanket warmers or family room furniture – can have on patients and their families,” says Michelle Morrison, health services manager at the QEII’s Coronary Care Unit (CCU).
The QEII Foundation’s Comfort & Care grants are 100 per cent donor-funded and support projects that would not typically receive funding from the health centre’s operating or capital budgets. Grants are awarded to projects that demonstrate direct benefit to patients or their families.
In 2021, Morrison successfully applied for a QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grant for the CCU’s family room. The generosity of donors enabled the purchase of much-needed furniture for the room, creating a space where family members and support people can spend long hours and overnights.
“Our heart health patients come from all over Nova Scotia and other Atlantic provinces,” Morrison points out. “Patients and their families often arrive in the middle of the night, and need a calm, relaxing environment to help support them during this stressful time.”
In addition to comfortable chairs and television, the space has convertible cots, making overnight stays more comfortable and resting.
The generosity of donors provides $100,000 in QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grants to countless care areas and departments every year. Frontline healthcare teams identify what amenities or enhancements are most needed in their departments, and then apply for the grants.
However, the number of grants requested by healthcare teams each year far exceeds the funding available. As a result, the QEII Foundation is calling upon the community to help raise an additional $40,000 to award to frontline healthcare teams this summer.
QEII cardiologist Dr. Richard Crowell works with patients and their families every day, and he sees the impact made by the Comfort & Care grants.
“There is no way to predict when any one of us will find ourselves in a hospital unit,” says Dr. Crowell. “Contributions to patient care and comfort are greatly appreciated.”
Since 2005, more than $1.7 million in QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grants have been awarded to healthcare teams like the CCU, thanks to donor support.
“When a family member is in critical condition, the news can change in an instant,” Morrison points out. “These grants improve the quality of the experience for patients and families at a time when they need it the most.”
Donate by June 30 to help award more QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grants this summer than ever before. Visit QE2Foundation.ca/ComfortCare or call 902 334 1546 to give today or learn more.
