RUH Foundation raises $65,000 for Sask’s first Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
Thanks to the generosity of over 200 guests, RUHF’s 36th Annual Greek Gourmet Feast presented by Nutrien raised $65,000 to support the $1.2 million dedicated Epilepsy Monitoring Unit for patients living with epilepsy. Over the past three decades, this legendary event has raised $1,168,000 in support of innovative patient care, education and research at RUH.
“Our community is so important and we gain so much by giving back, I feel it is a responsibility in whatever capacity you are able,” says Manolis Barlas. “As we get older we realize that we have two hands, one for helping ourselves, the other for helping others.”
RUH Foundation has been saving lives and impacting health care in Saskatchewan for 36 years. Since 1983, RUH Foundation has raised and invested, through the generosity of donors, over
$130 million for innovative research, education and patient care at Royal University Hospital.
Cystic Fibrosis advocate to hold pre-budget news conference in Regina
Chris MacLeod, Founder and Chair of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Treatment Society, will hold a news conference in Regina on Monday, March 16.
The news conference will be held in advance of the provincial government’s 2020/21 fiscal budget, scheduled to be unveiled in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, March 18.
MacLeod, a Saskatchewan-born lawyer who himself has cystic fibrosis, will address the opportunity now available for the government to negotiate a cost-savings agreement to make new life-saving CF drug therapies, including Orkambi, available to cystic fibrosis patients across Saskatchewan through the provincial Drug Plan.
Province Enhances COVID-19 Prevention Measures
The Chief Medical Health Officer of Saskatchewan, Dr. Saqib Shahab, has made the following order pursuant to Section 45 of The Public Health Act effective Monday, March 16:
No public gathering of over 250 people in any one room take place. This does not include settings where people are distributed into multiple rooms or buildings, such as schools, universities or workplaces.
No events of over 50 people with speakers or attendees who have travelled internationally in the last 14 days take place.
Retail locations and Faith based organizations are exempt, however, they should have measures (such as crowd size monitoring) that support safe social distancing and should seek guidance from the local medical health officer if necessary.
Effective immediately, people who have travelled outside the province in the previous 14 days or have acute respiratory or flu-like symptoms should avoid visiting long term care homes and hospitals.
While these measures are being implemented as a policy for Government of Saskatchewan ministries, crowns, and agencies, the Chief Medical Health Officer strongly recommends that all employers and individuals across the province adopt these measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, protect residents from exposure to the virus and reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the health system.
The Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Health Authority continue to work together to expand testing capacity for COVID-19, including the introduction of COVID-19 assessment sites over the coming days.
“While these are significant steps that will help limit transmission of COVID-19, most important is the responsibility we all have to ensure we reduce the risk to ourselves, our families and our communities,” Moe said. “The best way we can do this is by practicing social distancing, washing our hands often, avoiding close personal contact like handshakes or hugs, and self isolating if we feel any symptoms of illness.”
Credit unions and regional banks beat out the biggest banks on small business customer satisfaction
Small businesses say they get better customer service at credit unions and regional financial institutions than at Canada’s biggest banks, finds a new report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
“Credit unions are taking measures to be very small-business friendly, and it’s paying off,” said Corinne Pohlmann, CFIB’s senior vice-president of national affairs and partnerships. “While the big banks still have the advantage of market share in most regions, they should consider how they can better serve the needs of small businesses if they wish to remain competitive with this customer base.”
