Radiothon raises $267K for N.B. Heart Centre

The 12th annual Love Your Hospital Radiothon on Country 94 and 97.3 The Wave was a huge success.

Wednesday’s fundraiser saw a total of $267,315 raised for the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation.

That money will go toward helping the New Brunswick Heart Centre purchase a new heart-lung machine, which costs around $450,000.

The machine, also known as a cardiopulmonary bypass pump, temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during cardiac surgery, allowing for blood and oxygen to continue flowing throughout the body.

“We currently have four heart-lung machines, but one of them is nearing its end of life,” said Shannon Hunter, incoming president and CEO of the foundation.

“This model specifically that we are raising money toward would be much advanced compared to some of the older equipment that we have here.”

Hunter said the equipment is critical for the roughly 1,000 cardiac surgeries the centre performs each year. It serves residents from across New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

As part of Wednesday’s radiothon, the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation doubled all donations up to $100,000.

Donations are still being accepted at thegive.ca.