Burnaby Hospital maternity clinic gets $500K donation

Burnaby Hospital's maternity clinic just got a huge boost — and a new name.

The clinic is now called the Create Properties Maternity Clinic, following Create Properties' contribution of $500,000 as part of the Burnaby Hospital Foundation's Bright Future redevelopment campaign.

The maternity clinic serves women in the community who don't have a doctor providing obstetrical care and who want to deliver at Burnaby Hospital. The clinic provides 24-hour access to care, with a multi-disciplinary team that includes specialist obstetricians, dietitians, social workers and interpreters.

"Approximately 1,500 babies are delivered at Burnaby Hospital each year, and we expect that number to continue to increase as our population grows," said Kristy James, Burnaby Hospital Foundation president and CEO, in a press release. "We are honoured and inspired by Create Properties' generous gift towards maternity services at Burnaby Hospital. This gift will have a significant impact on so many families, and we commend Create's dedication to investing in the Burnaby community."

Lin Li, founder and president of Create Properties, draws parallels between the maternity department at the hospital and the new life Create works to breathe into the communities where they build.

"The maternity facilities at Burnaby Hospital are where new life arrives, bringing with it hope, optimism and excitement," Li said in the release. "It is a gathering place for families and loved ones, who will shortly embark on a new journey together."

James Wang, a Burnaby city councillor and the founding member of Burnaby Hospital Foundation's Chinese Ambassador Society, said Create Properties' donation was a meaningful contribution to the redevelopment plans.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all donors in the community for their contributions to (Burnaby Hospital Foundation) in past years," he said.

The hospital foundation says the Chinese Ambassador Society has connected the foundation with generous donors and has named the foundation as a beneficiary from several community events.

So far, Burnaby Hospital Foundation has raised $27 million towards the transformation of the hospital into a state-of-the-art facility, with a redevelopment that focuses on expanding emergency care, improving surgery services, creating a new maternity centre and building a new mental health unit. The foundation wants to raise $3 million more for a $30-million commitment to the first phase of the redevelopment.

You can find out more at the Burnaby Hospital Foundation website.