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Anonymous giver doubles donations to Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation

This month, donations will be matched up to $75,000
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Donations to the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation this month are being matched – up to $75,000 – by an anonymous donor. (Langley Advance Times files)

An anonymous donor is matching donations up to $75,000 this month to the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation.

The matching program starts Tuesday, Dec. 1 and runs all month, said Terra Scheer, the head of communications and stewardship for the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation.

The donor has been a big supporter of the foundation for many years, and always connects with the foundation around this time of year looking to help, Scheer said.

This year, looking for the best way to make the most of a donation, the foundation suggested a matching campaign.

“It’s inspiring to see a local resident step up and encourage the giving spirit in other Langley residents,” said Heather Scott, the Hospital Foundation’s executive director. “Donations made through this matching gift fundraiser will ensure anyone who needs the hospital during the holiday season, and beyond, receives the best care possible.”

Despite the big impact they’ve made over the years, the donor didn’t want any publicity.

They are “always very humble,” Scheer said.

“They didn’t want to put their name out there, but were very excited to match everyone’s gift,” said Scheer.

The money will likely go towards donations that will make surgeries faster and more efficient at Langley Memorial.

“Our need for surgical equipment continues,” Scheer said.

The foundation is raising money for equipment for the operating rooms, both surgical suites and the day patient procedures.

The need is to have multiple complete sets of surgical equipment on hand. After a surgery, it can take hours, or even up to a day, to thoroughly clean and sterilize some pieces of equipment, Scheer said.

With more complete sets of equipment, doctors and nurses can scrub up and go right back into the operating room after one procedure, allowing for more procedures in a day and, potentially, shorter waits for surgery.

The hospital could also use more scopes of various kinds, Scheer said.

The endoscopy unit at LMH does between 4,500 and 5,000 colonoscopies a year, and thanks to donations in 2019, the foundation bought a suite of new gear for that unit, including five new colonoscopes and two gastroscopes.

But scopes wear down and need frequent replacement and updates, said Scheer.

Donations can be made at lmhfoundation.com/match.



Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in Langley, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
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