Community & Culture

Foundation spotlight series: Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation

Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation is governed by a group of dedicated volunteers whose purpose is to raise funds for the medical needs of Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson.

Foundations in the Interior region raise funds that support medical equipment, care needs, and innovative local initiatives in their communities. Each organization includes respected community leaders, volunteers and staff who are passionate about meeting the needs of patients and families in Interior Health. Thanks to the generosity of their supporters, we all have a stronger health system. 

In this next story of our series on the incredible health-care and hospital foundations throughout our region, we interviewed Bryna Idler, executive director of Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation (KLHF).

How long have you been with the Foundation?

Bryna: I've had the privilege of working with the Foundation for 29 years. I started when my daughter was just seven years old, and I remember her helping me with events as she got older. Now she’s married, and I have two wonderful grandchildren.

Two people sitting at a table facing each other in a restaurant holding glasses of wine.
Bryna Idler and Vince DeVito share a toast to celebrate the Italian Canadian Society's $1,000 donation to the Light Up the Hospital! campaign.
Tell us about the focus of your Foundation and why what you do is important.

Bryna: These funds provide our health-care professionals with the tools they need to provide quality care to our community.

Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation is a proactive participant in the community health-care system. We connect equipment needs of our hospital and health-care professionals to donors with a desire to support health-care improvements at Kootenay Lake Hospital. We aid donors in realizing their goals for their community hospital by fundraising, planned giving and volunteer efforts to fulfill our mission.

Do you have any favourite fundraising campaigns?

Bryna: Over the course of 29 years, I've organized countless campaigns, but the one that stands out the most is the campaign to raise funds for a CT scanner. It truly felt like every individual, business and service club in town came together to support this cause. Thanks to their incredible efforts, we raised $1.5 million in just 18 months—making it the largest campaign we've ever undertaken.

Two people stand in a hospital hallway next to a medical cart. One person is wearing a black top and pants and has their hands in their pockets. The other is wearing a blue shirt and black pants.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, the Foundation has acquired a state-of-the-art ECG Capable Vital Signs Monitor. This advanced equipment provides immediate ECG assessments at Kootenay Lake Hospital’s Heart Function Clinic. It gives Dr. Brandon Tuvel (R) and Heart Function Nurse Meika Johnson (L)  critical real-time information, allowing them to develop a tailored and effective care plan, ensuring the highest level of care for our patients. 
Is there a particular donation over the years that stands out?

Bryna: A long-time supporter of the Foundation donated his 1955 Corvette to be auctioned for the CT scanner campaign. This generous contribution helped raise a significant $125,000 for the cause.

A blue car with a beige rag top and white wall tires sits on a lawn with the caption Win this car.
KLHF auctioned off this donated 1955 Corvette and raised $125,000 towards a CT scanner.

 

Build relationships, not just donations. As the sole employee for the past 29 years, I’ve had the privilege of building strong, lasting connections with many board members and donors. By far, this has been the most rewarding aspect of my role.

-- Bryna Idler
What are Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation's total donations to IH to date?

Bryna: Since its inception as a registered charity in 1991, the Foundation has granted over $7 million to Interior Health, ensuring the purchase of vital medical equipment that has greatly enhanced patient care in our community.

Three people sit in a hospital room. One in a red hoodie is standing, one in a black hoodie sits on a bed and a patient in a blue gown lies back on a blue pillow.
KLHF raised funds for MamaBirthie, a state-of-the-art, lifelike birthing simulator designed to elevate the skills of health-care professionals. From L to R: KLH Maternity registered nurses Denise, Jenna and Sabrina.

 

Other stories in this series

View all stories

Stories@IH

Read our latest stories

View All Stories

2 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Funding helps Williams Lake Métis community support food security

A funding initiative is helping the Cariboo Chilcotin Métis Association (CCMA) grow food security in ways that reflect knowledge, culture and community needs.

/stories/funding-helps-williams-lake-metis-community-support-food-security

4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: Psychiatric nurse finds meaning in crisis team role

Meghan Johnston became a registered psychiatric nurse after watching people struggle to navigate the health-care system and witnessing the barriers they faced.

/stories/we-are-ih-psychiatric-nurse-finds-meaning-crisis-team-role

4 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
How a primary care team changed one woman’s chronic pain journey

Jasmine Mingaud found relief and stability after connecting with the Central Okanagan PCN where a team helped her manage chronic pain and life challenges.

/stories/how-primary-care-team-changed-one-womans-chronic-pain-journey

4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Saving time, improving patient care with intelligent automation

Behind every appointment, lab test and medical imaging test are a complex set of processes. A small but mighty team is transforming how that work gets done.

/stories/saving-time-improving-patient-care-intelligent-automation

3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Celebrating and honouring Indigenous languages

March 31 marks National Indigenous Languages Day, a day to celebrate and honour Indigenous languages in Canada and the voices of the land..

/stories/celebrating-and-honouring-indigenous-languages

4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: Sully brings joy to patients, staff at Royal Inland

Sully is a certified therapy dog who, with his handler Mike, visits patients and staff at RIH bringing comfort and moments of joy to those who need it most.

/stories/we-are-ih-sully-brings-joy-patients-staff-royal-inland

STAY CONNECTED

Receive news, alerts, public service announcements and articles right to your inbox.

Sign up today
mail