Foundation
St. Joseph's Health Centre Foundation continued to move ahead with raising funds to support the construction of St. Joseph's Health Centre's Our Lady of Mercy (OLM) wing, which is set to be completed and operational by the spring of 2011. Many of St. Joseph's services, including our Family Birthing Centre, neonatal ICU, paedatrics, child and adolescent mental health as adult inpatient beds will be housed in the new wing. This brand new, state-of-the-art facility will increase access to the Health Centre's services, to continue to meet the growing health care needs of the community we serve. The Foundation is excited to focus its efforts over the coming months on supporting the OLM wing.
The primary goal over the last year and the months ahead for the Foundation is to develop a plan and implement a strategy specifically focusing on raising $10 million to support the OLM wing. This year, the Foundation worked behind the scenes in an effort to launch new initiatives to ensure another successful fundraising campaign. Click here to find out more about the Foundation's upcoming events in 2010.
Foundation Events
The Foundation was pleased to host a number of events in support St. Joseph's Health Centre in 2008-2009:
Lori's Legacy Walkathon
In its 9th year, the Lori's Legacy walkathon was a huge success bringing in $82,000 to support cancer care at St. Joseph's. This annual event was created to celebrate the memory or Lorna-Lynn Martin, a cancer patient here at St. Joe's who passed away at age 35. In appreciation of the care she received at St. Joseph's and as a celebration of her life, Lori's parents, Doug and Lorna Martin, established The Lori's Legacy Fund in memory of their daughter. Each year, the event continues grow and is a great success, paying tribute Lori, thanks to the wonderful group of dedicated volunteer organizers, who are all great supporters of the Health Centre.
Jazz by the Lake
Hosted at the Liberty Grand, funds raised through this event supported St. Joseph's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program. This event showcased Ontario Craft Brewers, long-time supporters of St. Joe's, as well as local restaurateurs. The jazz component added great fun and a relaxed feel to the evening. While this event brought together many supporters of St. Joe's, it was also a great opportunity to highlight the excellence we have in mental health services and our dedication to serving our younger population struggling to overcome mental health issues.
Aging Well Lecture Series
The Foundation was pleased to host the first Aging Well event as the start of a lecture series held at the Kingsway Lambton United Church, located in St. Joe's catchment area. This event is geared towards St. Joseph's senior community members, many who are committed donors to the Foundation and utilize the services at St. Joe's. The event provides an opportunity for the community to learn more about the Health Centre while discussing health topics of interest to our aging population. Dr. Marica Varga was this year's keynote speaker, providing the audience with practical health information and advice on how we can all do simple things to lead healthier lifestyles as we age.
Donor Thanks
St. Joseph's Health Centre Foundation would like to acknowledge the continued support of all our donors - your contributions help St. Joseph's Health Centre to purchase new and needed equipment, upgrade facilities and to increase access to programs and services for our patients. Support comes in many forms, big or small, through financial support or by giving your time to support a cause you believe in - and St. Joseph's Health Centre Foundation thanks you.
All of our donors and supporters of St. Joseph's Health Centre play an important role in helping us to achieve our Vision to be Canada's Best Community Teaching Hospital.
A Climb on Mount Everest Supports MIS Procedures at St. Joseph's
St. Joseph's Health Centre is recognized as a leader in minimally invasive surgery. Inspired by the work of Dr. Nick Leyland, St. Joseph's Medical Program Director of the Women's, Children's and Family Health Program and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Angela Wiebeck climbed Mount Everest to raise money for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) at the Health Centre.
Angela's journey of a lifetime raised $27,254 to help purchase equipment and increase MIS access for women at St. Joseph's, a surgical area of expertise for Dr. Leyland. Donations, like Angela's, ensure that St. Joseph's can continue to expand surgical services to enhance patient care. By providing MIS as an option for patients means that our patients are able to recover more quickly and can return to their activities of everyday living in a shorter amount of time.
SunLife Financial Supports a Healthy Life Style for St. Joseph's Staff
Last year, a donation of $100,000 from SunLife financial was made to support the Health Centre's Lakeside Wellness Centre. This gym facility supports and encourages St. Joe's staff, physicians and volunteers to get and stay active to maintain a healthy lifestyle, providing services ranging from cardio and weight training equipment to yoga and kickboxing classes. At St. Joe's, it is important to not only look after those we serve, but those who serve with us, and the SunLife Financial Lakeside Wellness Centre a great addition to the Health Centre's facilities to ensure we can provide an outlet for staff to be healthy and active.
Where Your Donations Go
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