THE 13th Annual Gurpurab Radiothon, held in support of Surrey Memorial Hospital, is taking place today (Tuesday, November 12) from 6 a.m.-9 p.m.
The Gurpurab Radiothon, hosted by Surrey’s 93.1 RED FM, is the most successful one-day radiothon supporting a hospital in Canada. It is held annually in celebration of the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus. The Sikh community celebrates this occasion with their donations.
Gurpurab 2019 is an extraordinary occasion as it represents the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak’s birth. This year’s goal is to raise $550,000 for the Mata Tripta Family Birthing Unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital, previously named by the community after a successful radiothon in 2012. Since that time, over 35,000 babies have been born at Surrey Memorial Hospital and equipment replacement and upgrades are required.
The first Radiothon was held in 2007 with the purpose of raising funds for Surrey’s only hospital during the campaign to build a new ER and a Critical Care Tower. Over two years, the community met a very ambitious goal of raising $2 million. The province of British Columbia, in recognition of this exceptional support, named the new adult ER front entrance for Guru Nanak. This was the first naming of a public asset for BC’s Sikh community. Since 2007 the radiothon has raised over $7 million for various units and projects at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
“On this very special occasion of celebrating Guru Nanak’s 550th birthdate, our Foundation team wishes to thank RED FM and the community for their ongoing support,” says Jane Adams, President and CEO, Surrey Hospital Foundation. “Your donations have made a difference to hundreds of thousands of people who visit Surrey Memorial Hospital each year. Today’s radiothon will help raise much-needed funds for vital equipment to ensure new babies and mothers receive the very best care in the Mata Tripta Family Birthing Unit.”
Those wishing to support the Radiothon on November 12th can donate online at surreyhospitalfoundation.com/redfm2019, by calling RED FM donation line at 604-598-9311 or visit the RED FM station to make a donation in person.
