Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Telethon cancelled

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation has decided it is not possible to put on its annual fundraising telethon with the public health restrictions in place to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The telethon had been scheduled for the weekend of May 23-24.

"We call it a real love-in, and we're going to miss it greatly. And I think for next year it's going to maybe make it even better," said foundation CEO Tracy Comeau.

The telethon requires not only the gathering of artists to perform in studio for the show, but also collecting interviews with patients who have been helped by equipment purchased by the foundation, and that wasn't possible in a time of physical distancing.

A focus for this year's telethon was to complete the funding for the CT simulator for the P.E.I. Cancer Treatment Centre. More recently, the foundation has turned its attention to purchasing equipment for the new COVID-19 treatment centre.

Comeau said fundraising for the simulator is almost complete, with 90 per cent of the $1.5 million required raised.

She said the foundation still wants to recognize its donors, so a virtual celebration is being planned.

"We do have committed donors who have been with us all 23 years so far of the QEH Eastlink telethon, and people are still contributing to that, understanding the need," she said.

Many organizations have already held events in support of the telethon, and they will be recognized as well, she said.

The foundation has known for weeks that the telethon would not be able to proceed as it usually does, said Comeau. Other options were considered before deciding to cancel, she said, such as delaying the campaign until the fall, but there were concerns a fall telethon could interfere with the efforts of other charities, that regularly plan events for the fall.

Fundraising continues at the foundation, and donors can contribute through the website, by mail or by calling the foundation office at 902-894-2425.

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