As I move back into the Health Services Foundation’s office at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital and see signs of Spring, I’m amazed by the tremendous generosity we see in our rural communities; it always adds a sense of hope to the air.

Alison, Melissa, Marta, Danielle, and I are so proud to work toward the generational change to local health care by supporting the South Shore Regional Hospital Redevelopment Project. This redevelopment will increase the footprint of our regional hospital by 30% while adding a long-awaited MRI and twelve dialysis beds. My family and I have used South Shore Regional more than once – many, many times in fact. I’m proud as well to make my own family pledge like many of our Foundation staff, Board members and community members who are leading the way. 

Tim O’Regan and David Himmelman have jumped into the Health Services Foundation’s fundraising efforts for this project as Co-Chairs with their own family donations of a tremendous $500,000 each.  The South Shore Regional Hospital Auxiliary pledged an astounding $1,000,000 donation in support of the Day Surgery expansion (we think this is the largest donation of its kind in the province, if not the Atlantic provinces by a hospital auxiliary). The Queens General Hospital Foundation not only displayed an incredible act of philanthropy but also that it understands that this is truly a “regional” project by dedicating $725,000 specifically for South Shore Regional’s MRI. I am so grateful for such a strong base of community support.

While the SSRH Redevelopment Project is key to the future of health care on the South Shore, the investment in equipment for both South Shore Regional and Fishermen’s Memorial will continue – the needs never end.

Events like the West Nova Fuels Curl for a Cause (which just completed its 22nd year of fundraising for Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital) and the Gift From The Heart Radiothon will continue. Work to help welcome and settle new physicians in our community continues as the Health Services Foundation works to build on the fantastic work of NOW Lunenburg County. Our Physician Settlement Committee is working closely with our Nova Scotia Health physician recruiters and our Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) program to see how the Foundation (and its wonderful donors) can support in their efforts.

So much great work is happening on the South Shore.

What a fantastic way to step into Spring!