Cops for Kids, a charitable foundation comprised of RCMP and other regional police officers, has given $25,000 to the 琉璃神社 General Hospital to support the creation of a private, pediatric patient room at 琉璃神社 General Hospital.

The donation is from money raised by the annual Cops for Kids Ride, the foundation鈥檚 signature fundraising event, which sees police officers from across the region join forces to ride the gruelling terrain of B.C.鈥檚 southern Interior.

The money will allow pediatric patients recovering from surgery to rest and heal with their families in a private, comfortable setting.

鈥淥ur goal with Cops for Kids is to support the well-being of children in the communities we serve,鈥� said Gail Harrison, president of the Cops for Kids Charitable Foundation. 鈥淏eing in hospital is such a difficult time for anyone, let alone a child. This private room will really help KGH鈥檚 littlest patients be more comfortable while they are in hospital.鈥�

In 2015, KGH opened the new Interior Heart and Surgical Centre and with it, expanded the hospital鈥檚 capacity to provide life-saving surgeries and execute complex medical procedures, including delicate pediatric operations. More than 500 elective and emergency pediatric surgeries are performed each year at KGH.

鈥淥ur littlest patients, like all KGH patients, deserve the best recovery environment we can give them,鈥� said Doug Rankmore, CEO of KGH Foundation. 鈥淭his gift will allow KGH to provide a quiet place for children to recover from surgery with the support of their family. We are very grateful to all the officers that sweat it out on their bikes every year to raise the funds necessary to make this gift possible.鈥�

The KGH Foundation鈥檚 Be A Lifesaver campaign successfully raised $12 million to support what it describes as 鈥渨orld-class鈥� surgical care in the Okanagan.

The 2017 Cops for Kids Ride will take place Sept. 8 to 17.

For more information, go to the website: copsforkids.org/the-ride/.