Save Our Hearts Ball sets new record – Tbnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY - It was an evening of glitz and glamour but for everyone who came out to enjoy some fine dining and live music, at the heart of the ball was the hearts of everyone in the north.

The 14thAnnual Save a Heart Ball was held on Saturday in support of the Our Hearts at Home Campaign to bring cardiovascular surgery to Thunder Bay.

Last year we raised $130,000, so this year we are hoping to beat that, said Elaine Graydon manager of special events at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. I can be optimistic. Im hoping for more than $150,000.

This year marked a new record for attendance, with 446 people purchasing a ticket for an evening that included live music, a silent auction, a wine pull, and prizes.

I think its a beautiful night with a live band, a beautiful dinner, they get to network with a lot of people, plus its a great cause, Graydon said. Cardiac issues are very prevalent in Northwestern Ontario and Thunder Bay, so I think a lot of people have been affected by it and they come out to support it.

The Our Hearts at Home Campaign launched publicly last week and it has already raised $11 million of its $14 million goal.

The purpose of the campaign is to bring full cardiac surgery to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

For any kind of major project, the Ministry of Health is willing to fund 90 per cent of the construction costs of an expansion, said Paul Fitzpatrick, chair of the Our Hearts at Home Campaign. The local community is responsible for 10 per cent of construction costs and 100 per cent of equipment costs. Our fundraising campaign is foundation based, meaning the money goes into the foundation and the foundation will fund those expenses.

Fitzpatrick added that bringing cardiac surgery to the city of Thunder Bay is something needed not only for the city, but the entire region.

It is extremely important, he said. We have the highest rate of cardiovascular disease and amputations in all of Ontario, yet we have to travel 1,500 kilometres to the closest center that will provide those services for us.

Who wants to travel and leave your family to get surgery, added Graydon. Its imminent surgery too, so in order to travel, they take a risk of not being there on time to save their lives, so the timing is everything. Having it here is critical.

The Our Hearts at Home Campaign will run until March and Fitzpatrick is confident they will reach the $14 million goal.

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Save Our Hearts Ball sets new record - Tbnewswatch.com