A new health foundation has organized to help fill funding gaps for health care and hospital needs in the Bulkley Valley.
The Bulkley Valley Health Care & Hospital Foundation, is a new foundation to help get medical equipment for the Bulkley Valley, to educate people about ways to stay healthy and to deal with illness, and to give people a way to invest, donate and fund raise for specific health care needs in the local area.
"The main purposes of the foundation are first of all to try and help the public and the people fulfill their personal desires in the health care field," said Ted Bobb, chair of the Foundation, adding that they are in the process of applying for Charitable status.
The Foundation is a way for people to bring up needs they see in local hospitals or gaps in the local health care system, and to fund raise to fill those specific needs, said Bobb.
With Northern Health, they decide what the greatest health care needs are and where money goes, but with this Foundation, the community decides for itself where money should go, said Jo Ann Groves, director of the Foundation and inspiration behind its formation.
It's not just hospital needs, added Bobb, it's also for other types of health care like holistic health and particularly illness prevention and promoting healthy living.
"We are going to fund gaps that the government doesn't fund," said Bobb, adding that in his opinion keeping people healthy is a large gap in the current health care system - or as he calls it, "illness care system."
The Foundation is legally formed but is still coming together, with 11 volunteer board directors - none from Houston yet - and four more members needed.
"It's important to have directors from Houston," said Groves, explaining that Houston needs someone to represent their needs on the board.
There is a $50 board membership fee, and anyone interested in volunteering or getting involved in the Foundation is asked to contact Ted Bobb at 250-847-3733, or email him at tcbobb@telus.net.