Health professionals are once again being asked to donate their gently scrubbed scrubs, which will then be sold with proceeds supporting a CNC bursary for health sciences students.
The lightly-scrubbed scrubs drive is organized by CNC nursing instructor Nancy Esopenko, who co-ordinated two successful drives in 2011.
"Last year it was very successful -- we raised $1,300 for the new bursary," said Esopenko, a registered nurse who teaches in the Northern Collaborative Baccalaureate of Nursing program. "We'll award four students with $250 each in March."
Collection bins have been set up at three drop-off locations - CNC's library, Lakewood Dental and Spirit of the North Health Care Foundation office at University Hospital of Northern BC.
Any health professional - from doctors, nurses and medical lab technologists to medical radiography technologists, health care assistants, technologists, dental hygienists and assistants - can donate their scrubs. They must be washed, in good shape and recyclable for others to use.
The donated scrubs will then be sold for between $5 and $20, depending on the uniform, on Feb. 8 at the CNC's Health and Wellness Fair from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Esopenko said she sees students from all demographics, including some who struggle with finances, which is why she created the fundraiser.
"I want to establish a way for future health professionals to benefit from current health professionals while recycling scrubs and benefitting everyone," she said.
