When a community comes together, everyone benefits
I have long believed that when a community comes together, everyone benefits.
Working alongside a team of dedicated volunteers who help Richmond Hospital Foundation to improve local health care for our families, friends and neighbours, I see those benefits each and every day.
No matter your age, health services are an essential component of our lives. In our community, it touches us all in different ways whether you’ve been a patient, sat alongside a loved one who is receiving care, or have been relatively healthy but have peace of mind knowing services are available here in Richmond when you need them.
It’s that connection that drives people to want to help us continually improve the quality of care we receive, and local volunteers made that involvement possible when they founded Richmond Hospital Foundation in 1987. The result of their work has provided an outlet that allows people touched by health care to give back, and our community continues to benefit from their groundwork some twenty-five years later.
Today, that visionary leadership has been extended through our outstanding volunteer Board of Directors. Led by our Chair Kush Panatch, Vice Chair Paul Oei, and Treasurer Matt Ilich, our directors all have local connections to Richmond – living here, working here, or having a history in our community.
Our Board of Directors work to maximize the impact of local donations. From providing guidance to our staff, to building relationships within the community, to being donors themselves, they feel it’s important to give back to Richmond because they want to make sure we have the best services here at home. Our Board is the voice of our community, and we work hand in hand with hospital leaders to address priorities at Richmond Hospital and for health care services in the rest of Richmond.
The efforts of our Board and our Foundation are yielding strong results for patients, and we are improving the tools available for our hardworking health care team. Recently, we’ve worked with hospital staff to purchase new equipment on behalf of our donors including a new dialysis unit, two special sport beds for our Intensive Care Unit, a second ultrasound machine for our Emergency Department, and three portable cardiac monitors that will make transport of patients within the hospital easier and more effective.
We’ve also taken a lead on improving stroke rehabilitation equipment both within the hospital and in the community.
The purchase of items such as assessment and diagnosis tools, gym and mobility equipment, and everyday life tools will help patients regain their independence.
Even as our Directors retire from our Board and new community leaders become involved, many former Directors continue to give by serving on our Board of Governors and acting as an ambassador for our organization.
There’s more that needs to be done as we continue to address current and future needs of Richmond’s health care. I am confident though, that with the leadership of our Board, we’ll be ready for the challenge.
To make a donation to Richmond Hospital Foundation, call our office at 604-244-5252, email us at info@richmondhospitalfoundation.com, or visit us online at www.richmondhospitalfoundation.com.
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