Saint Mary’s Hospital is still taking care of patients – 14 years after closing its doors on Royal Avenue.
The Saint Mary’s Health Foundation recently held its annual grants recipients awards event at the Old Bavaria Haus restaurant, where it dispersed $173,000 in grants. Each fall, the foundation provides financial support to health-care organizations, focusing on programs and initiatives that are most compatible with the principles of compassionate care exemplified at Saint Mary’s Hospital – improved patient care, staff morale and competency.
Following the closure of Saint Mary’s Hospital in 2004, the Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation opted to carry on as the Saint Mary’s Health Foundation. It strives to continue the work of the former hospital foundation by helping health-care providers and supporting patient care by providing funds to hospital and health providers in and around New Westminster.
“It has continued to fund projects locally and around B.C. for years,” said Rob Stewart, chair of the foundation’s board. “It generates a lot of goodwill and innovation in health care.”
This year’s recipients included: Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation (physiological monitors for the acute zone); Kiwanis Care Foundation of New Westminster (specialty pressure relieving mattresses); Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries; Douglas College Foundation (Aurical HIT box and Audioscan axiom REM unit); St. Paul’s Foundation (Residential Care for Me improvement initiative); Columbus Residence (specialty electric beds and mattresses); Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation (furnishings and bathroom upgrades); Burnaby Hospital Foundation (medical beds for critical care patients); and Fraser Orthopaedic Research Society (Dr. David Harder lectureship series). The foundation also provided grants to two organizations on behalf of two men who are retiring from the foundation after many years of service: L’Arche Greater Vancouver (on behalf of Paul Levy) and the Jim Pattison Eye Clinic/Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation (on behalf of Bernie Bilodeau).
In addition, the foundation also provides financial support for further education of nursing or technical staff already employed in health care in order to upgrade and enhance their skills, thus encouraging these individuals to remain in health care as a long-term career. These funds, which are in memory of Florence L. Cotton, totalled $15,700 and went to eight individuals and organizations.
“The Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation collected money over the years, mainly from people donating,” Stewart said. “In the olden days, when people were born there they felt a real desire to give back to the hospital and would often leave gifts in their will. The biggest gift to Saint Mary’s is people passing away and leaving gifts in their will.”
For more information or to donate to the foundation, go to www.saintmaryshealthfoundation.com.
