Saskatchewan families who have spent years waiting for a new children鈥檚 hospital are about to have their wishes fulfilled.
The Jim Pattison Children鈥檚 Hospital of Saskatchewan is going to open Sept. 29. It鈥檚 going to be a relief for those who have been forced to travel outside of the province for the specialized care that a children鈥檚 hospital can provide.
Frankly, it鈥檚 stunning that a province the size of Saskatchewan has not had a children鈥檚 hospital previously. While we haven鈥檛 always been a province with at least a million people, we鈥檝e hovered close enough to a million to justify such a healthcare facility.
Families shouldn鈥檛 have been forced to travel to Edmonton, Calgary or Winnipeg for this specialized care.
It鈥檚 also hard to believe that it鈥檚 been a decade since the Saskatchewan Party government announced that Saskatchewan was finally going to have a children鈥檚 hospital. It鈥檚 been a long wait for this project to be completed, and it hasn鈥檛 always been a smooth process, but finally it鈥檚 going to be done.
By all accounts, this children鈥檚 hospital is a marvel, truly something to behold. There鈥檚 a lot of care and creativity that鈥檚 been placed into the building.
A grand opening celebration was held Sept. 5, even though the official opening of the hospital was still more than three weeks away. It was a grand occasion, a chance for people to see this marvellous site, to see how it will improve the lives of others.
And it was a chance to see how it has been built with children in mind. It鈥檚 not just about the healthcare that children will receive, it鈥檚 about those nice little touches that have been applied.
The 鈥渘orthern lights鈥� allow children to select their favourite colour for their room. It might not seem like a big deal to a lot of adults, but it鈥檚 great for a lot of kids. And there鈥檚 all sorts of amenities in there to make the children鈥檚 experience as positive as possible.
It鈥檚 also a testament to the generosity of the people of this province. So many of the amenities are possible due to the support that this children鈥檚 hospital has received from the public.
A look at the donor wall inside the hospital will show that people of this region recognize the value of the children鈥檚 hospital, even if it鈥檚 nearly five hours away. Local businesses, organizations, families and individuals donated significant amounts of money for the hospital to happen.
We鈥檝e marvelled at how the Sernick family raised nearly $40,000 through the Cancer Sucks project. And we lauded young Gage Goetz for the way in which he raised more than $25,000 by selling his 4-H steer (as well as he halter and cattle show stick) during Estevan鈥檚 regional 4-H show and sale.
We鈥檝e seen children from southeast Saskatchewan serve as ambassadors for this project and raise money for it. Payton Sernick was the hospital foundation`s champion child in 2018.
There are amenities inside the children鈥檚 hospital that carry the names of local people.
It seems like everyone in Saskatchewan recognizes this new children鈥檚 hospital is a much-needed facility.
Now that it鈥檚 about to open, it鈥檚 going to make the lives of a lot of Saskatchewan people a lot easier.
Of course, getting it open is just part of the work. They鈥檙e going to have to work hard on upkeep and upgrades. The fundraising will never be over. 聽
But at least it鈥檚 going to go a long ways in making people鈥檚 lives easier.聽
