Matching campaign helps Langley patients breathe easier

When it’s difficult to breathe, everything else we do becomes that much harder. It’s true for the child who can no longer fun with friends on the playground, and for the senior struggling to walk to their neighbourhood grocery store.

“Every day I see patients who are trying to understand why walking up a single flight of stairs has become exhausting and so difficult,” says Dr. Rita Wittmann, a Langley Memorial Hospital Respirologist specializing in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the airway and lung system.

But before she can treat them, she needs to understand what’s happening inside their lungs.

Langley’s respirologists use the hospital’s only plethysmography unit, or “body booth,” to assess how well the lungs are working and how effectively oxygen moves into the bloodstream.

However, with only one body booth available, the respiratory team can only see 25 to 35 patients each week, leaving others waiting up to two years for critical testing.

“Two years is a long time to wait for answers,” Dr. Wittmann says. “And for those who are suffering, waiting often comes with uncertainty, worry and even deterioration in health.”

Matching campaign to double patient care
This summer, TB Vets, Langley Community Health & Hospital Foundation and generous donors are helping the respiratory team meet that need.

TB Vets will match donations up to $50,000, as the Foundation aims to raise $100,000 to purchase a second body booth, which will help twice as many patients get the care they need, sooner.

As longtime fundraising partners, the campaign follows previous TB Vets initiatives that have helped the Foundation purchase crash carts, Panda Warmers and neonatal ventilators for the hospital.

A second body booth will be just as impactful.

“With an additional unit, we can diagnose patients sooner and begin treatment earlier, to reduce the risk of long-term damage. Without it, wait times will continue to grow, and for many conditions, delays can mean permanent loss of function,” Dr. Wittmann says.

“If you’ve ever experienced shortness of breath, you know how quickly it can affect your daily life. For many of our patients, this is something they live with every day. Your support will make a meaningful difference for patients and their families.”

Learn more and donate securely today at lchhfoundation.com/match