An unendorsed charity is using the name of Prince George's hospital to try collecting money.
At least, they used a former name of the local healthcare headquarters. It was this slip-up that caught the suspicions of a local resident who received a call from the solicitor.
The caller told the resident that the Healing Hands Busy Book was for sale, $5 each, and would be donated to the Prince George Regional Hospital for sick and injured children.
"The book is filled with games, puzzles, safety tips, short stories, health and welfare information and a host of other activities to help keep the children's mind off of their difficulties and to brighten their hospital stay," said a follow-up fax send by the solicitor to the resident.
The resident knew that the hospital here changed its name to the University Hospital of Northern B.C. some time ago, and any affiliated charity would know that. The resident took immediate steps to ask Northern Health about the Healing Hands Busy Book, and to bring the curious charity to public attention.
"I am aware of this," said Northern Health spokeswoman Eryn Collins. "We have issued advisories about this in the past. We have only just become aware that this solicitation is happening again. It was previously tried in 2005 in the Quesnel area purportedly for G.R. Baker Hospital. That hospital did not receive any copies of the alleged books, and Northern Health did not and has not ever authorized any such initiative."
The Citizen easily found multiple examples of this same book being flogged in other health regions across B.C., Canada, and in 2003 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission succeeded in banning the company (based in Alberta) from trying any more such solicitations on their side of the border.
In the past, a Sudbury official called the tactics "preying on your emotions" and urged the public to consult with their local health authority about what hospital needs really area in your area.
An official for Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, Ontario (between Peterborough and Barrie) called the telemarketing scheme "an advertising initiative that misrepresents hospital involvement."
There were no positive endorsements by any person or health authority to be found, on The Citizen's Google search.
However, the company's own website does exist, complete with a photograph of a smiling woman dressed in hospital scrubs with a clipboard in hand and a stethoscope around her neck. However, all inside links are dead and the homepage information about the book is generic and shows no evidence of support or endorsement by any health authority or care facility.
The 1-877 phone number provided to the Prince George resident was answered by a recorded message for No. 1 Book Company, when dialed by The Citizen. A message was left but not returned by deadline.
"We rely on the hard work of very legitimate and worthy organizations to help our healthcare facilities with their locally identified needs, including our own Hospital Auxiliary and the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation," said Collins. "So we just ask that people check carefully about the organizations apparently raising money for healthcare before you give them your hard earned money. The legitimate charities should be easy for you to contact and research."
