Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary Donates $200,000 to EKFH Starlite Campaign

October 22, 2026

Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary has made their largest annual donation yet to the EKFH Starlite Campaign. This year’s donation is $200,000, split between $190,000 for the new mammography machine for the East Kootenay Regional Hospital and $10,000 for the Selkirk School Based Health Hub in Kimberley. The funds were raised from KHCA’s two volunteer run thrift stores in Kimberley and Marysville.

The mammography machine at East Kootenay Regional Hospital will replace the current aging and out-of-date system. The machine is a state-of-the-art system with advanced AI capabilities that makes cancer screening quicker, comfier, and more accurate. This helps support faster diagnoses, improved patient care, and reduces the risk of missed cancer detection, particularly in dense breast tissue. EKFH is currently fundraising $1,000,000 to bring this improvement in the fight against breast cancer to the region next year.

The newly opened Selkirk School Based Health Hub provides low barrier access to primary care services to youth in Kimberley. Physicians from the Kimberley Medical Clinic and a public health nurse from Interior Health are at the hub one morning a week to support students’ emotional, social, and physical well-being. The health hub currently borrows desks and chairs from the school and medical equipment from the Kimberley Medical Centre. The new funding donated by the Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary will go towards providing new furnishings and medical supplies for the health hub to ensure local youth have access to high-quality primary care.

Brenna Hong, Executive Director for the East Kootenay Foundation for Health commented, “We are absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible generosity of the Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary and their extraordinary $200,000 donation. Their commitment to the health and well-being of our communities is truly remarkable. With $190,000 supporting our Starlite Mammography Campaign and $10,000 going toward the new Selkirk School-Based Health Hub, their generosity will make a lasting and meaningful difference in the lives of people throughout the East Kootenay.

“This is so much more than a donation, it is an investment in better health care, earlier detection, and a healthier future for our families and our children. We are incredibly fortunate to have such passionate and dedicated community champions standing alongside us. On behalf of EKFH and the many people who will benefit from this incredible gift, thank you for making such a powerful difference in our community!”

EKFH’s annual Starlite Campaign runs in November and December, raising funds for priority health care improvements in the region. This year’s campaign has a goal to raise the $1,000,000 needed for the new 3D mammography system at East Kootenay Regional Hospital.  You can learn more or donate at www.ekfh.ca/campaigns/starlite-campaign-new-mammography-machine-for-ekrh/

The Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary is a volunteer organization and non-profit. They have thrift store locations at the Howard Street Thrift Store and the Marysville Thrift Store and run the Medical Equipment Loan Cupboard at the Health Centre. To learn more about their work, visit www.facebook.com/p/Kimberley-Health-Care-Auxiliary-Thrift-Shop-100083549551472/