Generosity helps foundation meet objectives.
Group supports Western Hospital through fundraising, advocacy
Ever since it was founded in 1994, a primary objective of the Western Hospital Foundation has been raising funds for hospital equipment.
In 2018, the foundation contributed more than $55,000 for hospital equipment, including $32,000 for hospital beds. It was the second year of an ongoing bed replacement campaign which will see the Foundation replace four beds a year until they’ve all been replaced.
The organization came into being following the disbanding of the Western Hospital Board of Directors early on in the 1990s, foundation treasurer Marlene Bolger explained. Although she admits it’s not really the role of the Foundation, director Krystyna Pottier said the group also prides itself on advocacy work on behalf of the hospital.
“The foundation worked diligently to reconfirm the two palliative care beds,” she recalled, and while chairman Dave McKenna suggested, prior to that, the foundation had lobbied to keep palliative care beds in Alberton. “Any decision that might have a negative impact to the hospital or its services, we will voice our concerns to the politicians,” Bolger added.
“For maintaining the services that are here, for expanding them when possible and for bringing in any new services that Health P.E.I. might be thinking of establishing, we would certainly be involved in talking to the Department and to Health P.E.I. about using the facility here,” Pottier said.
They also promote physician recruitment efforts for the hospital.
Foundation director Jean Cahill took the lead in overseeing the launch of a weekly 50-50 draw last January. In its first year, the 50-50 raised approximately $3,000 for the foundation. A recent $461 payout to Stephen McCue was one of the largest of the first year.
The foundation had toonie drop-off boxes located at Tignish Fisheries, Tignish Co-op Gas Bar, Profit’s Corner, Elmsdale Corner Gas, Western Hospital, Bray’s Independent Grocery and West Prince Video.
Cahill said the lottery had 154 registered players in its first year. She hopes to double the number of drop-off locations in 2019, and greatly increase the number of participants. Memorial donations remain a major source of funds for the foundation. When Doug Gallant died in February 2017, his family suggested memorial donations towards the cost of television sets for all patient rooms at the hospital, and that wish was fulfilled. During wakes for Fred Rennie and Roy Fraser last fall, memorial donations were directed towards the dialysis unit and palliative care respectively.
The need for funds is great, foundation members stress. They anticipate getting the hospital’s equipment wish list during their January meeting, but they already know there is a desire to replace all of the hospital’s intravenous (IV) pumps, at a cost of more than $100,000, and that is on top of all other equipment needs. The foundation and the hospital auxiliary often work together to provide for the hospital, including paying $22,000 each a year ago towards the cost of a point-of-care mobile ultrasound unit.
Bolger said she wouldn’t be surprised if the foundation spends more on equipment in 2019 than in 2018.
“It’s also fair to say there will probably be more things on the list than we can possibly fund,” Pottier acknowledged. McKenna added the foundation occasionally launches major fundraising drives, such as five years ago when $350,000 was needed for a new X-ray machine. The area has been extremely generous, he said.