Message of Thanks from UHKF’s Outgoing Campaign Chair

one roof. The state-of-the-art spaces and equipment make it one of the leading breast diagnostic centres in Canada.

Both of these remarkable facilities are second to none. It was so exciting to see those projects take shape from start to finish, and it was a thrill to walk through them upon completion. I’m so grateful to the donors who helped make these facilities a reality. The resulting services that the sites provide will greatly improve patient comfort, increase access to care and save lives for generations to come.

In January, after eight rewarding years, I stepped down as the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation’s (UHKF) Campaign Chair, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you – southeastern Ontario’s amazing donor family.

As a group, the campaign committee volunteers lead the charge for massive fundraising goals at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) and Providence Care. To succeed, we engage with the community’s leadership, build rapport with people who may not understand the need for donations at this level, and provide opportunities for those wanting to give back. Needless to say, I have been amazed by the incredible generosity of donors who have helped us to achieve so much during my time as chair.

The two significant accomplishments that stand out for me are the development and construction of the Providence Care Hospital and KHSC’s Breast Imaging Kingston facility. Donors helped us raise in excess of $65 million for Providence Care Hospital, which was the first hospital in North America to combine longterm mental health care, physical rehabilitation and complex care programs in one building. It is probably one of the best-engineered and most environmentally-friendly hospitals in the country.

Breast Imaging Kingston is an 8,000-squarefoot facility that combines breast imaging and diagnostic services and procedures under

UHKF always needs support for new equipment and education opportunities for staff. However, with a growing and aging population, donors will need to continue investing in large-scale facility upgrades. This will continue to attract the brightest medical practitioners to the wonderful city of Kingston, and it will help provide the people of southeast Ontario with world-class medical care close to home when they need it most.

I will remain on the committee, but it is now time to pass the baton to the new Redevelopment Campaign Chair, Tom Wightman. I’ve known Tom for many years; he is very well connected and respected, and just a wonderful man. Tom has been on the planning committee as we built the next campaign team. I have full confidence in his leadership.

As I sign off now, I also want to thank the great team I have worked with on the committee, and the UHKF staff. Alongside donors, we have all worked very hard together to create a better future for everyone in the Kingston region. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

“On behalf of everyone at UHKF, I’d like to thank Sue for her dedication and valuable expertise during her time as Campaign Chair. There is no doubt that the Foundation would not be as successful during this time without her leadership.”

- Tamás (Tom) M Zsolnay, President and CEO