PRINCE ALBERT – Victoria Hospital’s video for a North American contest has filled computer screens across the health region with funky dance moves, smiles and the colour pink.
The video was made for the Pink Glove Dance Competition.
The contest, which is based in the United States, has over 130 hospitals competing for the top prize of US$10,000 to be donated to the charity of their choice for breast cancer research.
The only submission from the province and one of three from Canada is hoped to raise money for the Saskatoon Cancer Agency.
The video, which follows the life of a patient from the diagnosis process to treatment, is intended to help people feel less alone, said organizer Sharon Griffin, director of acute care nursing services.
“The journey shows that many, many people are behind patients. It’s a message of hope,” she said.
“This was a project to raise awareness of breast cancer, which we did in the health region and the community. Many more people are thinking about the impact it has.”
The video has over 16,500 votes, placing it third behind hospitals in South Carolina and New York.
“I’m overwhelmed by the response we got starting with the day of filming and people viewing the video,” Griffin said.
In the hopes of upping the votes, local businessman Malcolm Jenkins, who was just awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, announced that he would match the amount the hospital would win.
“Anything we can do to improve the odds of eradicating this awful disease I think we should do,” he said, noting he has a personal tie to cancer because he lost his wife to the disease in March 2010.
The first prize is US$10,000, second is US$5,000, and third is US$2,000. Voting began Oct. 3, and the winners will be announced Oct. 28.
People can vote online using their Facebook accounts.
An account is needed to vote. People can only vote once from each account and computer.
To vote see http://pinkglove dance.com/competition/entry-140.
