Queen Alexandra Hospital for Children

Description

Who We Are
The Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children is an independent registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency Our registered charitable number is 89863 8291 RR0001

Our Mission
The Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children raises invests and stewards funds to support the physical mental and social well being of children youth and families primarily on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia Canada

Our Vision
Health and fulfillment for all children

Our Values
Donor Trust amp Accountability
Pursuit of Excellence amp Innovation
Advocacy amp Collaboration
Visionary Action
Cooperation amp Partnership
Respect amp Commitment

Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and audited annually the Foundations funds are carefully allocated to programs and equipment that help ensure young people develop to their full potential as healthy adults The Foundation does not receive government funding for operations

The Queen Alexandra Foundation is similar to a community foundation but our focus is on the needs of the children youth and families on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands

History

Our History
In 1922 a mother asking for help in the treatment of her child made an appeal to the Womens Institutes of British Columbia Her child was suffering tubercular disease of the spine This appeal spurred the Womens Institutes of BC into raising funds to build a childrens hospital in Vancouver In 1925 the proposal was brought forward that a Solarium for the prolonged treatment of quotdelicate and crippled childrenquot be built on Vancouver Island 1

In 1926 the Queen Alexandra Solarium was built at Mill Bay on Vancouver Island In the early years of the Solarium the focus was on treating diseases such as polio and tuberculosis The Solarium used innovative methods in the prevention of illness and treated certain diseases through the scientific use of the suns rays combined with open air and sun bathing

The history of the QA includes a major move in 1958 to its current location in Victoria on Arbutus Road and a name change to the Queen Alexandra Hospital for Crippled Children Brentwood College purchased the site in Mill Bay With the move came an expansion of services and in 1968 the Cerebral Palsy Clinic moved onto the hospital grounds and became the GR Pearkes Centre for Children In 1982 Anscomb House was opened for patients with muscular dystrophy 1986 brought official amalgamation of the GR Pearkes Centre and the Queen Alexandra Hospital and led to the establishment of the Arbutus Society for Children A Rehabilitation Engineering Centre later renamed the Fisher Building was opened on the QA site in 1986 This facility houses wheelchair seating orthotics and prosthetics services as well as a biomedical research component Ledger House a child and adolescent psychiatric facility was opened on the grounds in 1987 In 1993 the Arbutus Society for Children was renamed the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children and the Queen Alexandra Hospital was renamed the Queen Alexandra Centre for Childrens Health The QA Foundation owns the land at 2400 Arbutus Road and leases it to the Vancouver Island Health Authority VIHA for 1 per year so that VIHA can provide critical services to children and youth

In 2000 the Queen Alexandra Foundation funded the renovation of the VIHAQueen Alexandra Foundation Childrens Clinic area This renovated space is the home of the following clinics Swallowing Disorders Neuromuscular Pediatric Amputee Cleft LipPalate Visually Impaired Neuropsychology Pediatric Orthopedics and Spina Bifida The Foundation is excited about partnering with child and youth agencies in the Western Communities in the development of two new Child Youth and Family Centres in Sooke and the West Shore Colwood and a renovation in Port Renfrew

Today the Queen Alexandra Foundation continues to support the QA tradition of providing programs services and equipment that address the physical emotional behavioural and intellectual needs of Vancouver Islands children and youth By funding programs services and equipment both at the QA Centre and in various community agencies the Foundation plays a leading role in enhancing the health of our young people

1 Annual Report of the Queen Alexandra Solarium for Crippled Children 1926