The volunteer boards of The Public General Hospital Foundation of Chatham, Sydenham District Hospital Foundation and Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance have amalgamated to form Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation (CKHAF).
The move mirrors the merger of the hospitals that the three foundations once served.
“With hospital amalgamation completed and a new board appointed in 2017-18, it was a logical time to similarly merge the existing foundations into one organization that can best support our hospital,” said Mary Lou Crowley, President & CEO, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation, in a media release.
The new volunteer board is comprised of members drawn from the boards of the three originating foundations, a move that extends significant community links from the former hospitals that now form Chatham Kent Health Alliance (CKHA). It also reflects the commitment of the hospital to serve all of Chatham-Kent’s urban and rural populations.
“Along with establishing a board succession plan, we will continue reviewing board roles and structure, so that we can best support the foundation’s mandate while ensuring the urban and rural communities served by the hospital have a voice on the board,” said Gaye Thompson, Chair, Board of Directors, CKHA Foundation.
At the time of amalgamation, only the Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance employed an active fundraising staff. This will become the staff for the newly named foundation.
To raise awareness of the newly named foundation and its cause, CKHAF now has signage outside its Chatham main office and will open a satellite office inside the CKHA Wallaceburg site (formerly the Sydenham District Hospital). It has plans to open an additional satellite office inside the hospital in Chatham, further raising its profile in front of patients and visitors to the hospital, as well as hospital staff. The foundation website also sports a new address and look, and can be found at ckhaf.ca.
“Donors and other members of the community will now find it easier than ever to locate and access our foundation, both online and in person,” said Crowley. “This elevated presence will help us build awareness of our hospital’s needs and how community support truly enhances and advances the outstanding care that the doctors, nurses and staff provide at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.”
Like its predecessor foundations, the new organization will be an important source of funds for the hospital. Donations are vital to helping fund items beyond the government-funded universal standard of-care.
These can include initiatives such as ongoing medical education and training for doctors and staff, or the purchase of advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment. The replacement and renewal of 17 pieces of diagnostic equipment throughout the hospital, with the help of a recently completed, community-supported campaign that raised more than $7.2 million, is an example of the impact that donations can have on healthcare in the community.
“We are grateful for community support of our hospital sites. Donations are important in helping us to provide the very best care and services possible to our patients and their families,” said Lori Marshall, President & CEO, CKHA, in a press release.
“As was the case with the foundations that came before it, the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation will continue to be a vital link between the Alliance and the communities we serve.
