Editor:

The doctors who make up the maternity team at Peace Arch Hospital have a reputation for providing exceptional care.

This is in spite of working in a maternity ward that has not been updated in more than 26 years.

Making do is what we do – but hopefully not for much longer.

To this end, the doctors who make up the maternity team at Peace Arch Hospital have rallied together to demonstrate to the community our support for a new maternity ward – one that will greatly enhance the level of care available to mums and their babies.

Every single one of Peace Arch Hospital’s baby doctors has made a personal contribution towards support of the construction of a new maternity ward at our hospital. We collectively gave in support of the project to show our hospital foundation, donors, our patients and the community at large our full support for the Partners in Caring Campaign. We hope this will encourage others to give in support of this much-needed upgrade to the maternity department.

The new maternity ward will cost $5.3 million, which is being raised through donations made to Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation’s Partners in Caring Campaign.

The renovation to existing space will bring a whole new standard of maternity care to our community. The new ward will boast eight new spacious private and comfortable birthing suites, increasing the program’s birthing capacity to accommodate babies born at Peace Arch Hospital each year.

Groundbreaking on this exciting new chapter in maternity care for White Rock and Surrey residents is expected to take place this month. The renovation is slated for completion in September 2010.

For more information on Peace Arch Hospital’s maternity project or to join our maternity team in making a donation, we encourage you to visit www.peacearchhospital.com or call Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation at 604-535-4520.

Drs. Rachel Bright, Sheena Goldie, Kerstin Gustafson, Gary Jackson, Roy Jackson, Martin Lebl, Grace Park, Werner Spangehl, Carolynn Stevenson, Semeon Strovski, Shelin Tkatch, Elizabeth Varughese and Kim Veldhuis, Peace Arch Hospital