More than a hundred donors, volunteers and staff from across Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) and Providence Care gathered for University Hospitals Kingston Foundation’s (UHKF) annual Celebration of Giving event on June 12.
And it truly was a time to celebrate, on many fronts: from exceptional care to an inspiring patient journey, to the dedicated donors and leaders who keep healthcare in the community’s consciousness as a cause worth supporting.
Karen Humphreys Blake, who joined UHKF as Acting President and CEO in January, announced UHKF’s 2018-2019 fundraising total of $12.987 million. This total makes it one of the most successful years for the Foundation and it was achieved thanks to the generous support of donors from our community.
Mike Laughlin, a grateful patient, also took the stage to share his dramatic story of survival and recovery. In the winter of 2007 and then again in June 2016, Mike suffered catastrophic accidents that left him fighting for his life.
Having completed the journey from trauma care to critical care to rehabilitation therapy, twice, Mike expressed his gratitude for the outstanding care available in our community. “People don’t understand how valuable nurses and doctors are and how much they do for people,” he said, “I remember two nurses from a couple of long nights when I was in the hospital. I went down for surgery and I didn’t have any family members there, and I was really scared. I said to them, ‘Don’t leave me, I need you here.’ I made them hold my hand all the way to surgery. And they were waiting for me outside the operating room, just like I asked.”
Mike was joined on stage by staff from KHSC and Providence Care, many of whom were directly involved in his care, each carrying a simple black-and-white sign that named their particular care area. “In December 2017, I became the first above-the-knee firefighter in Canada,” said Mike, “and it’s because of these people, right behind me.” Mike and all of those who helped care for him were given a standing ovation.
Both David Pichora, President and CEO of KHSC, and Cathy Szabo, President and CEO of Providence Care, thanked Mike and applauded UHKF donors for their generosity and support of equipment, education, research and capital projects.
Dr. Pichora spoke about the impact of KHSC’s new MRI and the A. Britton Smith Q.C. Robotics Program as two examples from this past year that are “dramatically improving patient care”. Investments in technology not only improves patient care but allows KHSC to attract and retain really high-quality faculty and staff and train the healthcare providers of the future. Dr. Pichora spoke optimistically about the future and KHSC’s “ambitious” redevelopment plans at the Kingston General Hospital site including a new tower that will, among other things, “provide a new Emergency Department that is desperately needed.”
In an inspiring speech, Cathy Szabo shared her gratitude for the fundraising work to date on behalf of Providence Care’s Providence Manor. She also reminded donors of how much they have accomplished through the years, especially the millions that were raised eight years ago to help build Providence Care Hospital.
The event was capped off by a special celebration for retiring President and CEO, Denise Cumming, to recognize her dedication and accomplishments during her tenure with UHKF.