Bathurst, November 16, 2023
The 17th annual Northern Star campaign kicked off today in Bathurst as representatives of the Foundations of nine New Brunswick hospitals gathered to meet the media.
The Northern Star event is organized in partnership with UNI Financial Cooperation. The launch sets the tone for the start of sales of the traditional symbolic mini-trees. People can now buy a mini-tree that represents not only the holiday season, but also the generosity of the community. By purchasing a mini-tree at a cost of $2, $5, $10 or even $20 each at participating UNI service outlets and in selected businesses in the regions involved, the buyer is enabling the foundations to meet their needs for state-of-the-art equipment for their respective establishments.
“It’s with renewed enthusiasm that our employees are once again involved in this year’s sale of mini-trees. Each of our communities knows how to pull together. It’s a value deeply rooted in our cooperative movement. Supporting health care, by offering our support to local foundations, represents this solidarity that characterizes the different regions of our province”, emphasized Sylvie Basque, UNI representative present at the launch.
Until the end of December, people are invited to make a donation. Your donation will help us meet the challenges we face every day in the healthcare sector.
The Northern Star campaign plays an important role in the various activities of the foundations, which aim to raise funds from the public and businesses to meet the many healthcare needs in their respective regions.
The nine participating foundations are:
- Chaleur Regional Hospital Foundation (Bathurst);
- Fondation Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus Inc. (Caraquet);
- Foundation of the Friends of the Grand Falls General Hospital Inc. (Grand Falls);
- Edmundston Regional Hospital Foundation (Edmundston);
- La Fondation de l’Hôpital de Lamèque (Lamèque);
- Friends of Healthcare Foundation (Campbellton);
- Fondation Dr Romaric Boulay (Saint-Quentin);
- The Friends of the Stella-Maris-de-Kent Foundation (Sainte-Anne-de-Kent);
- Fondation Les Amis de l’Hôpital de Tracadie (Tracadie).
Dr. Marilyne Bossé, orthopedist at Bathurst’s Chaleur Regional Hospital and President of Northern Star for the Chaleur region, stressed the importance of involving the community in the foundations’ efforts to obtain better care through the acquisition of specialized equipment.
“In my day-to-day work as a healthcare professional, I’m able to grasp just how much of an impact the work of the foundations has in meeting the needs of our hospitals. Access to state-of-the-art equipment has a direct impact on the quality of care we can provide our patients. In particular, access to advanced equipment enables us to make faster diagnoses at critical moments in our patients’ lives.
The Northern Star is an important lever for our hospitals. Without such initiatives, it would have been very difficult to procure so much equipment over the past few years. I sincerely hope that donors will continue to express their generosity to this campaign, and to their foundation and hospital in the process.” declared Dr. Bossé.
Finally, November 29 will be dedicated to the lighting of the dedicated Christmas trees, as well as the figurines and community trees near the hospitals. The local population is invited to take part in this magical evening, a gesture demonstrating their special attachment to their healthcare establishment.
For information:
Suzanne LaPlante
Development and Communications Agent
506-544-2370
