Ekati diamond raffle will benefit children’s hospital

Vancouver — A diamond from the Ekati mine in the Northwest Territories will be raffled to raise money for Vancouver’s British Columbia Children’s Hospital.

The raffle is part of the Mining for Miracles campaign, which receives donations the mining sector, among others, so that funds can be raised to buy specialized equipment and research.

The diamond, which will be raffled on May 24, comes with a gold setting. The whole package was donated by BHP Billiton, Teck-Cominco and Andrew Costen Catalue, and is valued at $14,000.

The Mining for Miracles campaign is part of the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon, which raises about $20 million per year. The mining community has consistently raised more than $300,000 annually for a total of almost $5 million over the past 14 years.

The B.C. Children’s Hospital is the only pediatric hospital in the province. It receives more than 150,000 patients per year, 65% of whom come from outside Vancouver. On a yearly basis, the hospital treats more than 750 cancer patients, performs close to 200 open-heart surgeries and 15 kidney transplants, and receives more than 35,000 patients in its emergency room.