Festival of Trees returns to the Shaw Conference Centre

The Holiday season is kicking off with the annual Festival of Trees returning to Edmonton.

This is the festival’s 33rd year running and has evolved from having 15 Christmas trees in the University Hospital to over 200 trees in the Shaw Conference Centre.

The Chair of the Festival of Trees, Dr. Patricia Allwell Neiberding, explains what she hopes visitors will get out of the festival.

“We want people to enjoy what we’ve created, this winter wonderland, its absolutely wonderful and we are hoping that people recognize that it is a fundraiser for the University Hospital Foundation and that they will generously donate.”

Neiberding says that they change how the donations are used every year, and this year they are putting the funds towards what is called a rapid transfer unit.

“While you are waiting for a bed to become available you would be moved to a rapid transfer unit so you can actually start receiving world-class care in that room before the bed is actually available, so it helps get people to care faster and hopefully through that emergency room experience a little quicker.”

The Hospital was designed to accommodate up to 58,000 patients every year and in 2016 the Emergency Department at the University Hospital has provided care to over 70,000, making rapid transfer units a much-needed addition to the Hospital.

The University Hospital Foundation is hoping to raise up to one million dollars with the donations brought in through this year’s Festival of Trees.

To donate, visit the University Hospital Foundation’s website.

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