Appeal letters announcing Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) Foundation’s 32nd annual Light Up a Life fundraising campaign will begin hitting mailboxes this week. The goal of this year’s campaign is to support the purchase of two ventilators for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), critical pieces of equipment used by the team in caring for some of the hospital’s most vulnerable patients.
Serving as Chair of this year’s campaign is NHH’s Chief of Critical Care and the ICU, Dr. Darius Seidler. More than 3000 letters have been sent, sharing a heartfelt appeal from Dr. Seidler and detailing the recent experience of patient, Tyler Lynn, who recently spent three months in the hospital’s ICU on a ventilator.
“Referring to the medical equipment in our unit as critical is an understatement,” explains Dr. Seidler. “It works alongside us to monitor our patients and support us in determining the best course of action. In the case of ventilators, they quite literally work to keep our patients alive.”
Mechanical ventilation is a vital, life-saving intervention used when a patient is unable to breathe on their own due to illness, trauma, or severe medical conditions. The patient is intubated, meaning a breathing tube is placed in their airway, and connected to a ventilator, which takes over the crucial task of delivering oxygen to their lungs. Without ventilators many ICU patients would not survive severe respiratory failure or other illnesses.
“By making a contribution, donors will equip our doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists with the tools to save lives and ease suffering,” continues Seidler. “They will become part of someone’s healing, recovery, and second chance.”
Fundraising for NHH’s ICU comes at a critical time as the service recently reached an important milestone: it was officially recognized by Critical Care Services Ontario and Ontario Health as a Level 3 Basic Level of Care Unit. With this recognition comes the responsibility to meet higher standards of care and to ensure the hospital is equipped with the tools needed to deliver it and ensure more critically ill patients will be able to receive advanced, life-saving treatment in the Northumberland community.
Since Light Up a Life’s inception, more than $4.3 million has been raised to fund medical equipment and technology at NHH.
In addition to campaign appeal letters and digital communications highlighting the need for this equipment, one third party fundraiser has returned in support of this campaign:
• JJ’s Steak & Burgers in Cobourg is hosting a Christmas Tree Raffle throughout the month of November. Those interested in the chance to win a one-of-a-kind fully decorated pre-lit Christmas tree can drop by the restaurant, located at 8 Elgin St. E, Cobourg, ON between November 1 and November 30, 2025 to purchase tickets (priced at five dollars each or three for ten dollars).
Those interested in learning more about the Light Up a Life campaign are invited to visit NHH Foundation’s website at www.NHHFoundation.ca/Light-Up-a-Life.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
