News from the Welland Hospital Auxiliary and OneFoundation for the Niagara Health System
Welland, Ontario, November 3rd, 2015 – OneFoundation for Niagara Health System is pleased to announce a $500,000 commitment from the Welland Hospital Auxiliary in support of the Endoscopy Service at Niagara Health System’s Welland Site.
Members of the Welland Hospital Auxiliary present a $500,000 donation to Niagara Health System and OneFoundation for NHS representatives. Photo courtesy of OneFoundation
The announcement was made today in front of the Auxiliary’s Gift Shop at the hospital, which is the main source of fundraising for the volunteer group.
This pledge comes shortly after the successful wrap up of the Auxiliary’s $1 million campaign to raise funds for the Kidney Care Unit at the Welland Site, named the Welland Hospital Auxiliary Dialysis Centre. With this fundraising project fulfilled, the volunteers were ready for the next challenge to help keep the Welland hospital equipped for local residents.
“The Welland Hospital Auxilians are dedicated volunteers who are helping to make a difference for the Welland Hospital Site of the NHS,” said Sharon Connelly, President of the Welland Hospital Auxiliary. “We are pleased to partner with OneFoundation on our next task supporting endoscopy equipment and hope it will help patients in our community receive the very best care when they need it.”
Endoscopy is a nonsurgical procedure used to examine the digestive or respiratory tract using an endoscope – a flexible tube that includes a light and camera. These tools are used system-wide at NHS to treat a variety of ailments from chronic indigestion to cancer and are essential to keeping Niagarans in good health.
Last year, the NHS identified replacement Endoscopy needs as a top priority at a cost of more than $2.5 million. With almost 15,000 endoscopy tests performed across NHS sites in the course of a year – approximately 4,000 tests performed at the Welland Site alone – anyone can appreciate how many patients’ health depends on up-to-date scoping equipment.
“This commitment to our Endoscopy Service is a wonderful example of the unwavering dedication of the Auxiliary to our Welland Site and its patients,” says NHS President Dr. Suzanne Johnston. “The Welland Hospital Auxiliary’s spirit of goodwill goes a long way in helping us provide high-quality care, which is why it and the auxiliaries at each of NHS’s sites are valued members of our healthcare team.”
Auxiliary members across Niagara give thousands of hours each year to NHS patients and their families, physicians and staff. They raise significant dollars to buy much-needed equipment like incubators, ultrasound scanners and cardiac monitors and contribute funding for new emergency rooms and intensive care units. More importantly, they provide people with a deep sense of humanity through their kindness and caring.
About the Welland Hospital Auxiliary
Founded in 1945, the Welland Hospital Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that is currently comprised of 45 members and 50 volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to raising funds in support of the Welland Site of the Niagara Health System. Its members run the much-loved Gift Shop at the Welland hospital, which has been in operation for over 20 years and is now the main source of the Auxiliary’s fundraising. The Gift Shop is open Monday to Friday from 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday to Sunday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.
Additional support is generated through rent paid to the Auxiliary from the coffee kiosk in the hospital lobby and through selling Nevada tickets offsite at the Avondale on Main Street in Welland. The Auxiliary’s giving history totals $2.5 million and has helped support projects including an intensive care unit and dialysis unit. With a new $500,000 commitment to endoscopy services announced November 2015, auxilians will continue in their loyal service to the hospital and its patients.
About OneFoundation for Niagara Health System
OneFoundation for Niagara Health System proudly supports all hospital sites of the Niagara Health System for the advancement of healthcare in Niagara. United under one banner, OneFoundation carries forward the legacies of Douglas Memorial Hospital Foundation, Greater Niagara General Hospital Foundation, Niagara Health System Foundation, Port Colborne Hospital Foundation, St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation, and Welland Hospital Foundation. Governed by a volunteer Board assembled from all corners of the peninsula, OneFoundation is committed to responsibly representing the community’s charitable intentions with full accountability and transparency. For more information, visit www.onefoundationfornhs.com.
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Photo cutline: Members of the Welland Hospital Auxiliary present a $500,000 donation to Niagara Health System and OneFoundation for NHS representatives.
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