Rankin donation earns naming honour
A new cancer rehabilitation program and the new entrance to Brock University will both bear the name of local philanthropist Tom Rankin.
Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre announced Tuesday that its new outpatient cancer rehab program — designed to improve patient satisfaction and quality of life for oncology patients who are undergoing or have completed treatment — will be named the Rankin Family Cancer Rehabilitation Program, in recognition of a funding commitment by the annual Rankin Cancer Run, taking place this weekend.
And Brock University announced last week that its facility under construction at the base of Schmon Tower will bear the name Rankin Family Pavilion, after the family pitched in $2 million towards the $19-million facility.
Rankin said his motivation for the donations was to support oncology patients as well as Brock students, but he’s “very proud” that the institutions chose to honour his family.
“It’s quite an honour to have both Hotel Dieu Shaver hospital and Brock University bestow our names,” Rankin said.
The Hotel Dieu program — it will improve independence for oncology patients, help them transition from the hospital to the community, and reduce the risk of hospital readmission — will receive $80,000 from this year’s Rankin Cancer Run, which starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Niagara Street and Parnell Road.
Hotel Dieu spokesperson Mary Jane Johnson said the family has also committed to providing an additional $100,000 in years to come, provided either through the proceeds of the run or from the family itself.
She said the first patients will be accepted into the program by mid-July, through a referral process.
In a media release, Hotel Dieu Shaver chief executive officer Jane Rufrano said the funding commitment provided “the final puzzle piece to ensuring patients are getting the care they need close to home.”
“The implementation of this program will complement Niagara’s existing community program operated by Wellspring Niagara, adding value to a cancer patient’s continuum of care.”
Hotel Dieu’s clinical operations vice-president, David Ceglie, said the new program will provide a unique service to patients, that also includes a medical management component.
“The benefit of this program is that a patient may benefit from medication monitoring and adjustments if required, which optimizes a patient’s ability to participate in rehabilitation,” he said.
Hotel Dieu is continuing to accept donations for the program through its website hoteldieushaver.org, and more information about the Rankin run is available online at rankincancerrun.com.
At Brock, the Rankin Family Pavilion is expected to be completed to welcome students returning to class in the fall.
Rankin, who received an honorary degree from Brock last fall, said he has long thought that the area in front of Schmon Tower ought to be enclosed for students.
“You see the students out there in the summer months, and of course you won’t see anyone in the wintertime. It had a nice roof on top, but the sides were all open,” he said. “At Brock, it really is the focal point. You’ve got the promenade in front of the entrance which makes it very unique.”
The two-storey, 3,690-squaremetre facility will include a research, innovation and commercialization centre, where students and researchers will “work alongside entrepreneurs, industry partners, community members and social service groups,” university research vice-president Tim Kenyon said.
“They will combine their disciplines in the pursuit of openended innovation that seeks to improve public services or create new enterprises for Ontario’s knowledge-based economy,” Kenyon said.
Rankin said the university has “come forward in leaps and bounds” over the past few decades.
“They have a lot of excellent programs there,” he added.