Kelowna city councillor Maxine DeHart joins health campaign

Photo: Okanagan College

Kelowna city councillor Maxine DeHart has added her name to Okanagan College's latest health campaign.

Kelowna city councillor Maxine DeHart has added her name to a college campaign focused on improving healthcare across the Okanagan. 

DeHart will feature in commercial and radio advertisements as the new campaign ambassador for the Our Students, Your Health campaign by the Okanagan College Foundation, which aims to raise $5 million. 

“Our health is the most important thing, it’s all we have. I joined this campaign to raise awareness of the amazing impact Okanagan College grads have on our health-care system,” says DeHart.

“I can't express enough that these people coming out of that Centre will be helping you for the rest of your life nor matter who you are and what age you are. We should all open our hearts and give what we can.”

The college opened its current health sciences building in 1963, but now requires a more modern version to incorporate the latest technology and reflect today’s typical healthcare settings.

Okanagan College Foundation executive director Helen Jackman says she is delighted to have DeHart on board to raise awareness of the campaign and the importance of good healthcare. 

“Our graduates have an immense impact on the local health-care system. We entrust them with the quality of life, the recovery, the wellness of our community, and that doesn’t just refer to our neighbours or our co-workers or people we don’t know. They care for our loved ones, our families, the people nearest and dearest to us. So we hope people will hear the messages that Max and others are sharing, and will be inspired to give and help us make this project a reality.”

The Okanagan College Foundation will fundraise $3.5 million for the $18.9 million centre, and $1.5 million for student scholarships and bursaries.

The remaining $15.4 million for the centre will be provided by the B.C. government.