Fundraising run for healthcare returning to Prince George
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PRINCE GEORGE – The 21st annual UBC Run for Rural Medicine is taking place across the province this weekend, and Prince George’s version of the run will start at 9:00 a.m. on April 12 at the UNBC Greenway Trail. While this is the 21st annual version of the event, it is just the second year that Prince George has hosted a run of its own. Initially organized by University of British Columbia Students, the run has grown across the province to fundraise for Hope Air.
“These funds are absolutely vital. Last year, Hope Air was able to provide over 9000 flights in B.C. alone, and well over 50% of those flights are supporting patients in northern B.C. The people we’re supporting, these are vulnerable individuals. They have limited incomes, they are seniors, they are single parent families, they may be people who are differently-abled. Getting to specialty medical care can be quite an ordeal and quite difficult to navigate, and for a lot of our patients, it’s the difference between accessing care or not,” said Hope Air’s Vice President Patient Experience Stephanie Aldridge.
Hope Air is an organization dedicated to helping patients travel for necessary healthcare, covering travel costs and accommodations for anyone who needs to leave their homes for care. The fundraising done through these runs can help many additional patients, as last year’s run raised $13,500, and this year a goal of $15,000 was set.
“For patients who are unable to get travel support, 30% of those patients are going to cancel or delay their care, which obviously has terrible impacts on their health outcomes. And those who are able to proceed with those appointments are borrowing money from family and friends and payday loan providers. So, we are under more pressure than ever,” Aldridge explained.
