The Health Services Foundation has announced its first-ever capital campaign has raised a grand total of $10,275,851 in support of the South Shore Regional Hospital redevelopment.

Generous gifts of all sizes, from individuals, businesses and other charitable led to the Foundation and its volunteer fundraising team met and exceeded its fundraising goal of $9.5-million.

Over two years, the Brighter Days campaign volunteers and the staff at the Health Services Foundation worked to raise gifts, including three $1-million gifts.

Health Services Foundation Executive Director Arleen Stevens says she is blown away by the final total.

“To think of where we started with this campaign to the total we see in front of us is astounding. This total is an amazing gift from our community to South Shore Regional Hospital. It has been heartening to see the community get behind this redevelopment, which has been a long time coming.”

Discussions around the redevelopment of South Shore Regional have taken place, off and on, over the past 16 years, with plans for the $115.7-million project becoming a reality in 2020.

The excess funds raised over the Brighter Days campaign’s goal will be put in the Brighter Days Legacy Fund, which will be there to continue to fund all the departments involved in the South Shore Regional Hospital Redevelopment, including the hospital’s Emergency, Endoscopy and Day Surgery Departments, as well as the new Dialysis Unit, MRI and SPECT-CT scanners.

“Tim and I have long said that this capital campaign and this redevelopment aren’t going to fix all the issues in healthcare in our region or in our province,” notes Campaign Co-Chair David Himmelman, “but each Brighter Days gift supports making healthcare better for all of us on the South Shore”.

Campaign Co-Chair Tim O’Regan nods to the odd-timing of the campaign. “The Brighter Days campaign started during the COVID-19 pandemic, and while it wasn’t ideal, the realities the pandemic brought to the forefront of many minds is how important and how tireless our healthcare professionals work to keep our communities healthy and safe. We are pleased to be able to raise this amount to support the redevelopment and make their workplace the best it can be.”

The redevelopment project’s two-story addition, which will house the expanded Emergency, Endoscopy and Dialysis Departments is on track to be completed in late 2025. The MRI scanner will be the next addition, estimated to be complete in 2026. The expansion of the Day Surgery Department will be the final piece, with an estimated completion of 2027.

For capital campaign highlights and redevelopment news, visit healthservicesfoundation.ca/brighter-days.