How you can support the new Niagara hospital and other healthcare services

Published March 27, 2023 at 12:46 pm

Providing quality healthcare does come at a price, which is why the Niagara Health Foundation is calling on donors to help them continue funding excellent local healthcare for patients here in Niagara.

The foundation’s goal is to raise funds to support high-quality patient care, education and research at Niagara Health, such as by helping hospitals afford new and updated hospital equipment – without donor support, Niagara’s hospitals would not have the best and newest tools to treat patients.

Donations can be made at the Foundation’s website or by calling 905-323-3863 (FUND).

It might surprise you to know that hospital equipment is primarily funded through donations rather than the government, and with medical technology constantly evolving, new equipment can be quite expensive.

In fact, the government only funds staffing, day to day operations and similar items, leaving the rest up to the generosity of donors and community groups.

Money donated to Niagara Health Foundation goes exclusively towards Niagara Region’s five hospital sites in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland, Fort Erie, and Port Colborne.

And of course, the highly anticipated new South Niagara Hospital will also be largely supported by donations when it opens. Construction for the new 12-storey, 469-private bed facility is set to begin this summer for a 2028 opening.

Healthcare is always vital, but with several crises affecting parts of the healthcare industry, it’s never been more important to make sure all patients can still access the treatments they need.

Donations help Niagara Health tackle these complex issues and overall further healthcare in the region.

Every donation matters – and thankfully, donating is easy.

There are several types of donations that Niagara Health Foundation accepts:

  • General/Monthly Donations: A one-time or monthly donation in support of excellent patient-care at Niagara Health. Monthly donors are especially important as they provide a constant stream of support that the Niagara Health Foundation can depend on and factor into their financial planning.
  • In-Memory Donation: A donation in memory of someone who has passed away.
  • Gift of Gratitude: A donation to recognize someone at Niagara Health that made a difference to you or a loved one.
  • Major Gift: A larger donation often made from families, businesses, foundations, service clubs and organizations to help support all five Niagara Health sites.

  • Legacy Gift: A donation made by a person after they’ve passed away, such as through their estate or by leaving a gift for Niagara Health in their will.

“The Niagara Health Foundation plays a vital role in ensuring our hospitals have the resources they need to provide exceptional care for patients in our community,” said Andrea Scott, President and CEO of Niagara Health Foundation.

“Without the support of our donors and partners, we simply couldn’t do what we do.”

Furthermore, all donations can be directed toward the most urgent needs of the hospital system as a whole, or can be directed to a specific hospital site or program that the donor most wishes to support, such as cancer care, mental health and addiction services, cardiac and stroke care, kidney care, palliative care, or women and children’s health.

Donors can also support specific initiatives, such as the purchase of specific new medical equipment or the construction of new facilities like the South Niagara Site.

One of the biggest benefits of donating to the Niagara Health Foundation is that donors can see the impact of their contributions – the Foundation provides regular updates on how donated funds are being used, and publishes its annual Donor Impact Report which it distributes across Niagara and on its website.

The Foundation also continues to organize a wide variety of charity events throughout the community to help raise funds for healthcare.

The Kids Ultimate Challenge, held every June, has hundreds of kids take on mud puddles, hurdles, mountains of hay, waterfalls, and other fun challenges in order to raise money for the Children’s Health Unit at Niagara Health.

Another popular event, The Big Move Cancer Ride, has raised over $4,000,000 for local cancer care since its inception in 2008. Every September, hundreds of cyclists take to the roads of Niagara and tackle 25 km, 50 km, or 75 km routes in support of the Walker Family Cancer Centre at Niagara Health.

These events are among the many ways the Foundation supports Niagara Health, which has been serving Niagara residents for over 100 years and now serves a diverse population of over 450,000 people.

Good healthcare is essential! Support high-quality healthcare in Niagara by making a donation today.

For more on everything the Niagara Health Foundation does, visit their website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

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