Fighting for others

Dear Mr. Premier:

I am writing this letter in tremendous support and with urgency for the development of a Stroke unit for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Islanders as an entity.

Recently the media reports and letters to the editor have called on you and your government to commit health care funds to this unit and further called on you to have compassion for Islanders whom have in the past, or in the future may suffer from a Stroke.

Reports have listed numerous static’s regarding the betterment of individuals whom survive a stroke and an 18 – 30 % decrease in death rates due to a stroke. If you had 100 Islanders suffer from a Stroke; 18 to 30 would live instead of dying, if this unit was available.

It floored me to see that my late mothers own doctor is quoted in the news stating: “God help you if you have a stroke in PEI” This to me, a grieving daughter of a mother whom suffered from mini-strokes for a period of 6 years before being taken from us this August due to two major Strokes in a 4 hour period, that means that, if this unit had been in place at the time or I guess if we lived in a different province, my mom may have been one of those lucky individuals and would still be here with us today. My mom was a nurse in this province for 35 years until a Stroke made her enable to return to her career, and I feel that it would serve her memory to see a unit like this developed in a place she spent so many years caring for others. In the end my mom would know she was about to have a stroke but would not go to the hospital saying “What are they going to do for me here anyway” It is sad to think that a former nurse for this hospital, whom cared for so many individuals suffering for all kinds of medical conditions, knew there was no services available to help her in her time of need.
Premier Ghiz you are quoted as saying: “The P.E.I. government would like to move forward with a stroke unit for Charlottetown's Queen Elizabeth Hospital as soon as the money can be found” and “the government has heard the message, and agrees the need is there.” Please show Islanders that they are important and deserve the right to have acceptable health care in PEI. They shouldn’t have to travel away from their family support systems and their home to receive proper care during terrible health times. I further call on you to show Islanders that the PEI government will no longer allow for the province to fall below national standards for health care services.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation on P.E.I. has lobbied aggressively for a stroke unit for some time now as “it's vital to the quality of life and recovery of stroke survivors.” When initial lobbying for this unit began, it was said that construction of a new addition to the hospital would be required. Now, the QEH is stating that the unit could be housed in an existing section of QEH with renovations costing about $500,000. I ask you Honorable Premier, How can you put an amount of money on a life?
Premier Ghiz...I believe you should make this your government’s Number 1 priority when setting priorities for health care dollars next month. Please allow other families to have a chance my family did not have when my mom fell victim to Strokes.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated support and approval of a Stroke Unit of P.E.I. with delivery of your government’s budget next month!!!!!