Vancouver, BC – BC Children’s Hospital Foundation announced today that it has received a $25-million donation from Teck Cominco Limited to support the construction of a new children’s hospital on Oak Street in Vancouver. The gift is the largest in the hospital’s history and is the first major gift to the hospital since the $200-million Campaign for BC Children was announced on Global TV on April 14.
Giving back to the community has always been a priority for Teck Cominco,” said Teck Cominco President and CEO Don Lindsay. “BC Children’s Hospital has touched the lives of many Teck Cominco employees over the years as well as those of families in communities across BC. This gift to the Campaign for BC Children is a natural step in our 21-year history of supporting the hospital.” Teck Cominco’s connection to the Campaign for BC Children extends deeper than the donation announced today. Not only have the people of Teck Cominco contributed generously to the hospital, contributing a total of more than $3 million prior to this donation, they have also brought many others to the cause through the annual Mining for Miracles campaign, which they co-founded in 1986.
“Teck Cominco is one of our greatest friends,” said Sue Carruthers, president and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Every year Teck Cominco and its employees have raised the bar in terms of their support for BC’s kids. This year, in support of the Campaign for BC Children, they’ve set a new record for giving to the hospital, and have expressed just how deeply they care for BC’s communities and our children.”
Priorities of the Campaign for BC Children include the new Acute Care Centre, the relocation of childhood development and rehabilitation services from Sunny Hill Health Centre in East Vancouver to the Oak Street home of BC Children’s, and Child Health BC, a BC Children’s Hospital initiative that is building pediatric care capacity throughout the province.
Construction of the new Children’s Hospital will provide urgently-needed space for critical care. For example, the current operating rooms are antiquated and do not have adequate space to accommodate the high tech equipment required for complex surgical procedures. And, patient rooms in the existing hospital were not built to accommodate family members or provide the healing environment children need for quicker recovery. The Campaign for BC Children is calling on British Columbians to “Be a Superhero” for BC’s children by making a donation to the campaign. Donations can be made online at www.beasuperhero.ca or by calling 604-333-5417 or toll-free at 1-877-977-HERO (4376). More information on the campaign and its priorities is available at www.beasuperhero.ca . Teck Cominco Limited is a diversified mining company, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TCK.A and TCK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TCK. The company is a significant producer of copper, zinc, metallurgical coal and specialty metals, and has interests in several oil sands development assets. Further information can be found at www.teckcominco.com. BC Children’s Hospital is the province’s only full-service acute care hospital and serves the one million children living in BC and the Yukon. All children who are seriously ill or injured are referred to Children’s Hospital and are either treated at the hospital facility in Vancouver or, with consultation from Children’s specialists, in their home community. Last year, more than 72,000 children were treated at Children’s Hospital. BC Children’s Hospital Foundation received donations from more than 82,000 people last year and had revenues of over $54.4 million. Funds raised by the foundation are used to support BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and the Child & Family Research Institute. -30- For more information, contact Teck Cominco or BC Children’s Hospital Foundation:
Doug Horswill Senior Vice President, Environment and Corporate Affairs Teck Cominco Limited Phone: 604-687-1117
Debora Sweeney Vice President & Chief Communications Officer BC Children’s Hospital Foundation Phone: 604-875-3635 1-888-663-3033 Cell: 604-828-4918 E-mail: dsweeney@bcchf.ca Stephen Forgacs Director of Communications BC Children’s Hospital Phone: 604-875-2338 1-888-663-3033 Cell: 604-719-4381 E-mail: sforgacs@bcchf.ca |