File photo of a sign outside the Chinook Regional Hospital (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Cor Van Raay donates 28 stethoscopes to Chinook Regional Hospital

Apr 30, 2020 | 11:10 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A local philanthropist has made a significant donation to the Chinook Regional Hospital Emergency Department.

Cor Van Raay has supplied the hospital with 28 new stethoscopes, to help in the fight against COVID-19.

“We’re in really interesting times at the Chinook Regional Hospital and Cor’s donation just kind of helps us to really move our care from exceptional to even better, because it just makes sure we can follow the strictest infection control procedures as possible,” Jason VandenHoek told Lethbridge News Now.

VandenHoek is the executive director of the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation (CRHF).

“Cor’s donation is a special one and we just want to thank him. Lethbridge continues to be a lucky community to have [someone] like Cor Van Raay who wants to offer so much support,” he said.

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In a release, manager of the Emergency Department at the Chinook Regional Hospital, Kevin Reedyk, stated that “having a designated stethoscope for each room ensures we are exceeding the standards of infection prevention and control”.

VandenHoek told LNN that operations are slightly different at the CRHF due to the pandemic.

“We’re not necessarily essential medical staff, [so] we’re not always in the hospital like we used to be, but we are working remotely and we’re blown away once again by all the offers of support and things that we’re getting from the community,” he said.

“We’re still happy to assist anyone who wants to help the hospital.”

VandenHoek said one of their goals is to make sure healthcare workers know how much they’re loved and appreciated.

“Folks in the community are helping us to do that.”

He also noted that the best way people can help the hospital is to stay at home and follow guidelines set out by the provincial government to help limit the spread of infection.

“That is the number one thing people can do to help us is [to] stay at home and really just do their best to make sure our hospital doesn’t get overwhelmed,” he said.

Anyone who does want to assist the CRHF in a monetary fashion can do so through The Frontline Fund, which is a joint effort between more than a hundred hospital foundations across Canada to raise money to support hospitals in their response to COVID-19.

More details can be found at frontlinefund.ca.