The votes are counted and after weeks of anticipation Medline Industries, Inc. finally announced Friday that Victoria Hospital and Prince Albert’s Parkland Health Region are the third place winners of the Pink Glove Dance Video Competition.
Since voting began three weeks ago more than 1.1 million people viewed the 139 competing videos that were available for preview at www.pinkglovedance.com. Victoria Hospital’s video received a total of 76,500 views and 38,053 votes.
“We are thrilled that Prince Albert got as many votes as we did, said Sharon Griffin, director of Acute Care Services for Prince Albert’s Health region. “I knew we had a shot at this, because I knew with the type of hospital that I work in and the health care workers that I work with and being in the province of Saskatchewan and the city of Prince Albert, we are kind of unique, in that we are able to get a lot of participation going.”
Victoria Hospital received a $2,000 donation from Medline to the hospital’s breast cancer charity of choice, the Saskatoon Cancer Agency. Those dollars will go towards prevention, early detection, and one day hopefully a cure for breast cancer.
“The message that we were trying to create with this video was that everyone working in health care, whether we are front lines or behind the scenes are working on behalf of the patient and providing support for the patient,” said Griffin. “And I think we did a good job.”
Victoria Hospital’s winning pink glove video featured hospital staff dancing in pink gloves to Katy Perry’s hit song Firework. It followed Victoria Hospital staff member and breast cancer survivor Valerie Isbister as she reenacts and represents the journey herself and many other women like her have taken to fight breast cancer.
“I was diagnosed last May, had my surgery in July and then went for cancer treatment throughout the winter, both chemo and radiation and was back to work in June,” said Isbister. “So it has been a lightning year.”
Originally when Isbister agreed to take part in the video she assumed she was just going to be one of the dancers, but that was not the case.
“I love to dance,” said Isbister. “So I thought this is mine and so I quickly, quickly volunteered. And then when she (Griffin) asked me if I could be the patient I thought okay in for a penny in for a pound, so you might as well do it.”
“As we got going I realized it was an opportunity to tell a story that many women share,” Isbister added. “I am not the only one who has had breast cancer and gone through the treatments and it was my chance to give back.”
The first place winner of the Pink Glove Dance Video Competition was the Lexington Medical Center, in West Columbia, South Carolina. Second place was awarded to Highland Hospital in Rochester, New York. Lexington Medical Centre received a $10,000 donation and Highland Hospital received a $5,000 donation, which were also given to a breast cancer charity of their choice.
congrats to all who helped with this project!! considering the size of the city, and the fact there were very few Canadian cities, you guys did awesome!!! way to represent the city, province and country!!