How Volunteering can HELP: Thank You Baxter Canada

Baxter Canada has been a leader in supporting the healthcare of Canadians, and a critical partner for HELP in British Columbia. The Canadian Red Cross program operates in Atlantic Canada, Alberta, Yukon and British Columbia. Baxter’s support of the Health Equipment Loan Program (HELP) in British Columbia has changed the lives of thousands of people who are returning home from a hospital stay and need essential medical equipment to recover. Since 2018, their annual donation of more than $150,000 has provided support to community health and wellness programs including HELP. In 2019, the program served over 57,000 clients and allowed over 130 new volunteers to receive training in B.C.

Volunteers like Paul!

Paul Ravelle lives with his wife in beautiful Prince George, B.C. When his wife experienced some health troubles and ended up in the hospital, he took care of her. But when she was able to come home, Paul realized they needed some equipment which could have been an incredible cost. Paul reached out to the Health Equipment Loan Program (HELP) in Prince George, to borrow the equipment and it made the couple’s transition to healing in the comfort of their own home much easier.

“The HELP program was able to provide immediate support of professional-grade health care equipment when we needed it, from a caring system of volunteers at the HELP facility”, says Paul.

HELP ensures that people in B.C. can access essential equipment during the transition home, and they are supported throughout their recovery. 

Baxter Canada has been a champion of the HELP program for years, and a leader in supporting Canadian families like the Ravelle’s. Healthcare-focused and innovative, they have been a dedicated and critical partner. Lori Ann Horrigan, Baxter Canada’s head of communications says, “Having seen the impacts of HELP firsthand, I could not think of a more unique and well-suited partnership than the one between Baxter Canada and the Canadian Red Cross. Our employees are actively engaged, ready to positively impact their local communities.”

After retiring in 2019, Paul Ravelle was looking for ways to give back. After the kindness his wife had received from the HELP program in Prince George, he decided that he would volunteer and help give the same experience to other people in need in his community. 

Paul and his fellow volunteers work hard to make sure each person who contacts them in Prince George and the surrounding area has access to the right piece of equipment and the information they need to use it safely in their home. 

Baxter Canada’s support of volunteers like Paul stems from their own focus on employee volunteerism. Their workforce also takes on additional volunteer roles within HELP and has supported the HELP depot. In fact, in the last two years, employees in B.C. have volunteered over 100 hours at the Vancouver HELP depot, loaning 615 pieces of equipment to 348 clients.

Volunteerism is one of the best ways to stay connected to a community, something both Paul and Baxter Canada know.

“It was easy to become a volunteer and part of a program that provides support to people when they need it most,” he said.

Helping to save and sustain lives is the mission that drives Baxter Canada employees each and every day. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve recognized that many Canadians need extra help to adapt to their new reality.

“COVID-19 has affected us all, and our employees were ready to answer the call to support the country’s pandemic response efforts through personal donations to the Canadian Red Cross,” says Lori Ann Horrigan.

Today, they have expanded their support with an additional $50,000 USD from the Baxter International Foundation to support the Canadian Emergencies and COVID-19 Response Fund. Support from partners like Baxter have allowed us to respond to the current pandemic quickly to help people across the country.

As we continue in this new reality, having a partner like Baxter Canada makes a world of difference. Thank you, Baxter Canada!