The Sault Area Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) will benefit once again from a generous contribution by the Sandra Schmirler Foundation. This time, a donation of $20,000 will be used to purchase a new Glidescope for the unit.
The Glidescope is a piece of equipment that greatly increases the success rate of intubation, especially with unpredictable or difficult airways. It is a particularly useful tool for both babies and mothers in need of an airway during resuscitation and/or C-sections.
A digital camera mounted to the baton projects an image onto a portable monitor, providing a clear, real time view of the airway and tube placement, enabling quick intubation. The Glidescope is operational in seconds, has an anti-fogging mechanism that resists lens contamination, a non-glare monitor and is easy to use.
Earlier this year, the Sandra Schmirler Foundation donated $30,000 to the hospital's NICU for the purchase of a new Giraffe warmer/incubator.
"We are very pleased to present a second gift to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation," said Jody Meli, chair of the Sandra Schmirler Foundation. "Everyone at SAH was so supportive of our efforts at the 2010 Scotties to fundraise for our foundation. This has been a great partnership and we wish SAH all the very best as they move into a facility that will look after our most vulnerable babies."
These donations represent a portion of the proceeds from a telethon held annually during the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian Women's Curling Championships, which took place in January 2010 in Sault Ste. Marie. The telethon received more than 2,800 calls from across the country, and at $287,000, set an all-time record for the amount raised.
The Sandra Schmirler Foundation was created as a legacy to three-time world curling champion and Olympic gold medallist Sandra Schmirler. The foundation's mission is "caring for babies in crisis through direct giving to neonatal care across Canada."
"We continue to pursue our dream that while all children may not grow up to be champions like Sandra, every child deserves the chance," added Meli.
