The 13th annual Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation radiothon is underway to raise money for new vital signs monitors at local emergency departments.
The annual event running with 93.5 Moose FM is raising money for the foundation, asking people to call in or go online to donate. The event runs Aug. 13 and 14 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.
Foundation executive director Lisa Tompkins said the event is quite different this year, with their usual street presence scaled back due to the pandemic.
“We’re certainly trying to make sure that we are following health protocols and social distancing,” Tompkins said. “We made the decision we really need to be virtual as possible.”
The vital signs monitors will be for the emergency and acute care departments in Haliburton and Minden. They are used to access and monitor a patients’ vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and more.
Tompkins said the foundation is working towards 10 of them, with a total cost of $65,000-$70,000.
“We will be updating these to state-of-the-art,” Tompkins said, adding the devices will help reduce the workload on medical workers in a time when they are dealing with extra safety protocols. “This new equipment helps to consolidate and make it a much more efficient action for nurses and doctors.”
New for this year is an online auction, with items being featured at hhhs.ca/foundation. The auction will close Aug. 17.
Tompkins said like many organizations, the foundation has lost revenue through cancelled events, but they are thankful for how people have supported the health care sector during this time.
“This is a generous community,” she said. “We’re really grateful for their generosity and for the importance that they recognize health care has in our community.”
For more information or to donate visit the foundation website or call at 705-457-1580.
