LANGLEY donors will celebrate the philanthropy of the South Asian community at Langley City Coast Hotel and Convention Centre on February 3 at the fifth annual Giving Hearts Gala, while raising funds to build and sustain exceptional surgical care at Langley Memorial Hospital.

This year’s keynote speaker is award-winning Dr. Mark Chiu, a renowned Orthopedic Surgeon providing care at Langley Memorial Hospital (LMH).  With a goal to secure $250,000 in funding, the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, along with the Giving Hearts Gala committee and South Asian community leaders, aim to expand the capacity of the hospital’s five operating rooms by fundraising for ceiling lifts and Stryker surgical scopes.

The gala is expected to sell out with 350 guests, who’ll be treated to a four-course gourmet South Asian-inspired buffet dinner with wine pairings, silent and live auctions and a 50/50 raffle.

A ceiling lift system is essential for reducing injuries to staff, assist surgical teams as they move patients from a bed, gurney, or wheelchair, as well as for those with mobility issues, such as the elderly and those awaiting bariatric procedures. When they do move patients manually, they put themselves at risk—this also impacts patient care. Moving patients without a lift can result in sprains and slipped discs, joint injuries, back injuries, and chronic pain. Ceiling lifts are an investment that will ensure LMH operating rooms continue to function at the highest efficiency and make a positive impact on patient care.

As the population ages, more arthroscopic surgeries, such as knee and hip replacements, are performed at Langley Memorial. Stryker surgical scopes are advanced tools that give surgeons clear image views of a patient’s target areas, will improve pre- and post-patient optimization rates.

Over the past four years, Giving Hearts Gala has raised $905,000. “Langley is our home. A happy home is also a healthy one and when we co-founded the Giving Hearts Gala, we could think of no better partner than Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation”, say Giving Hearts Gala Co-Founders Manjit Gill and Balraj Mann.

“Together with our South Asian community, we continue improving quality of life for Langley residents but also quality of care at Langley Memorial Hospital. It’s where we go for care. It’s our hospital.”

Heather Scott, Executive Director of Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, says gala guests recognize the power of philanthropy to help build upon the excellence of the hospital’s surgical staff. “We’re a community hospital with an exceptional surgical team and we’re leaders in the region for access to timely care, with 86 per cent of urgent surgeries completed within 28 days. These tools will build upon that excellence, make a huge difference in patient treatment, care, and recovery, keep our caregiver teams safe from injury and help recruit and retain top talent to the hospital.”

In the year 2021/2022, more than 14,000 patients underwent either inpatient or day surgery at LMH.

Last year’s Giving Hearts Gala guests raised more than $315,000 in support of renovating the Spiritual Space at Langley Memorial, providing a haven of rest for patients, staff and visitors.

Secure your tickets today at the early bird rate of $2,000 for a table of eight, and $250 per individual. After Sunday, January 14 tickets will be $275 each or $2,200 for a table of eight. For tickets, visit lmhfoundation.com/events/giving-hearts-gala