Each year the Foundation commits to purchase new capital equipment for use at Peace Arch Hospital and each year you answer the call for support and provide the funding for this much needed equipment.

Examples of equipment purchased with donor support include:

BiPAP is a low-pressure, lightweight ventilator that provides support ventilation via a nasal mask. The name BiPAP is derived from Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure and is intended to augment patient ventilation. It has two levels of air pressure: more pressure when you breathe in, less pressure when you breathe out. BiPAPs are frequently used in emergency situations when a patient’s breathing is compromised.

Automatic defibrillators stop the dangerous process of ventricular fibrillation in the heart by administering an electric charge. Fibrillation leads directly to cardiac arrest, which, in the industrialized world, is the leading cause of death. Defibrillators are a necessary piece of equipment in a hospital environment.

Electrosurgical units are used for removing or amputating parts of the body, but they do not just cut tissue. As they cut, they also burn tissue, thereby sealing arteries, veins, and other facets. Using this clever process, surgeons at Peace Arch Hospital are able to remove limbs or organs with minimal blood loss.

A bladder scanner is a non-invasive ultrasound instrument that measures bladder volume and supplies caregivers with the information they need to diagnose, treat, and manage urinary conditions. Using ultrasound scanning of the bladder instead of an invasive procedure reduces discomfort and infection risk for the patient, while saving time and money for the hospital.