the
F o u n da ti o n WINTER 2017
report
A HOLIDAY
MIRACLE In This Issue: THE FUTURE OF CARE
Donors like you made it possible for Mike and Lynn to receive emergency care and surgery close to home. On December 23, 2013 Mike and Lynn Baker of Kingston had their bags packed for a holiday visit with family out of town. They were supposed to arrive in Brampton that night. But Mike wasn’t feeling well. He started experiencing pain in his lower abdomen. “It was pain that was out of the norm for me. It was just different where I said [to Lynn], ‘You know, I’ve got to go in.” Lynn
knows that Mike has a pretty high pain tolerance. She also knows how much he doesn’t like visiting hospitals. So when Mike suggested that he needed to go to Urgent Care at the Hotel Dieu Hospital site, she got him there as fast as she could. Mike walked up to the desk of the triage nurse at the Hotel Dieu site and then suddenly, he passed out in front of her desk. The Urgent Care team whisked Continued on pg. 5...
Your guide to redeveloping the Kingston hospitals. p. 3
Your Impact The impact of your gifts p. 4
From the Heart A special gift from a grateful family p. 6
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT On October 27, our community received an early holiday gift. The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Dr. Eric Hoskins, announced the Ministry’s support for the “Phase 2” Redevelopment project at the Kingston General Hospital site at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. This massive redevelopment project includes an eight-story tower that will house new operating suites, Emergency Department, neonatal care, clinical labs and labour and delivery suites. The modernization of these clinical facilities will help our centre offer new care options, better designed and equipped care spaces, and new ways to ensure that the flow of patients through our clinical programs is as efficient as possible. While the Ministry has signaled its financial commitment to the project, there are still many checkpoints we must get Denise Cumming, through before construction can begin. One crucial step is UHKF President & CEO that our Foundation and hospital must find a way to fund the project’s “local share,” which is typically ten per cent of construction costs and 100 per cent of equipment costs. That means the portion of the local share that we are expected to fund through donations is nearly $50 million! Your past generous donations have brought us to this point. We hope you will continue with your ongoing gifts – or even consider establishing a new bequest to our Foundation. We have a big goal before us. You will play an important role in helping us achieve it. Thank you for helping us reach this milestone. Wishing you and yours a joyous holiday season!
WHAT DOES PHASE 2 REDEVELOPMENT MEAN?
If you are a long-time supporter of UHKF, you may recall that between 2008 and 2011 we opened new facilities for cancer care, intensive care, pediatrics and ophthalmology. If you’ve recently spent time in hospital, you may have noticed that our Emergency Department and operating suites are in need of updates. These areas pg. 2 | Winter 2017
are part of Phase 2 - the second wave of construction in a five-step plan over the next 40 years. Phase 2 is expected to be open and functional by 2026. This means that the gifts you make today will help ensure you have the facilities and care options you need and will ensure the best care for your children and for generations to come.
THE INSIDE STORY: REBUILDING OUR HOSPITAL FACILITIES Better lineof-sight from caregivers to patient beds
Space will be designed for optimal patient flow
Open 24 hours, 7 days per week, the Emergency Department at the Kingston General Hospital (KGH) site offers the full range of trauma and critical care services, with round-the-clock access to clinical laboratory and diagnostic imaging services as well as on-call specialists and sub-specialists. More than 100,000 patient visits occur in the Emergency Department each year. The emergency program at the KGH site is aimed at caring for patients who are critically ill and in need of specialty services. But the KGH site needs to update this essential area to continue to care for the population it serves today. A redeveloped Emergency Department will provide better lineof-sight between the care desks and patient beds. The space will be better designed for optimal patient flow and training and education of health care professionals. Not only will these improvements result in shorter wait times for patients, but redevelopment will enable us to improve the footprint of these spaces for shorter waits with enhanced privacy. Visit uhkf.ca/about/campaign to learn more about how you can support redevelopment at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. pg. 3 |Winter 2017
New ambulance bay for more rapid off-loading
MORE ON REDEVELOPMENT PLANS As you know, we rely on donations from generous community members like you to fund new facilities within the Kingston hospitals. That’s why each issue of the Foundation Report will show you plans to replace aging facilities with new space made possible by your gifts.
AT KHSC Operating Suites Emergency Department Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Labour and Delivery Clinical Laboratories
AT PROVIDENCE CARE Providence Manor
YOUR GIFTS AT WORK Thanks to donors like you, a new vein finder has been purchased for the Intensive Care Unit. Because patients in critical care often experience swelling, it can be difficult to locate veins in arms, legs, hands and feet. The vein finder enables caregivers to find veins quickly reducing patient discomfort, increasing patient safety and increasing efficiency. A new ultrasound machine has also recently been purchased thanks to community donors. A critical piece of diagnostic equipment, the ultrasound provides caregivers with information quickly to help them provide patients with the best care.
Donors like you helped purchase new equipment that improves patient care.
Five solis pumps were purchased for the Cancer Centre. These wonderful machines enable patients to receive chemotherapy treatment or pain management in the comfort of their home for up to five days rather than needing to come to the hospital. Last year at this time, we shared Martin’s story of receiving a life-saving double shock with cardiac defibrillators in the Emergency Department at the KGH site. We asked donors for support in purchasing new cardiac defibrillators for the hospitals. We were able to purchase five new defibrillators for use at the KGH and HDH sites. Thank you!
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pg. 4 | Winter 2017
“Without the Kingston hospitals, I wouldn’t be here, that’s for sure.” continued from pg. 1 Mike into a treatment room. Lynn recalls how scary the exexperience was. “He flat-lined while he was in the treatment room but they were able to bring him back.” After examining him and asking Lynn questions about the pain, they rushed him over to the Kingston General Hospital site for emergency surgery. Mike had experienced a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm - a ‘Triple A’. These types of aneurysms often develop slowly and have very few symptoms. But if and when they rupture, they can cause severe internal bleeding and without immediate medical care, can be fatal. Emergency surgery at the KGH site, and the quick-thinking team at the HDH site saved Mike’s life. “Without the hospitals, I wouldn’t be here, that’s for sure. There aren’t too many Triple A survivors.”
pg. 5 | Winter 2017
Mike came through surgery successfully and spent Christmas Day with Lynn in the Intensive Care Unit before he could return home. But Mike’s care journey wasn’t finished. When Mike returned to the HDH site several months later for a follow up visit, his physician ordered a scan to ensure Mike’s recovery was coming along smoothly. The scan revealed a mark on his lung—cancer. Mike was incredibly lucky that it had been caught so early. The cancer hadn’t spread so it could be removed with surgery. Mike endured 16 weeks of chemotherapy at the KGH site. Thankfully, his surgery and treatment were successful and he recently received an “all clear” report from his doctor. Mike and Lynn are so grateful for the care they received that they made a gift to Uni-
Mike’s life was saved by care close to home in the Kingston hospitals. versity Hospitals Kingston Foundation. “All the care was super. You can’t beat the people—they were just fantastic!” The Emergency Department, operating rooms and clinical laboratories where diagnostic tests are conducted each day are all in need of major updates as part of the next phase of redevelopment. Mike and Lynn’s gift - like yours - will help make a difference in these vital areas. Every day, people like Mike and Lynn need the care available right here in Kingston. You help to make this care possible. Mike still returns to the hospitals for follow up care. Fortunately, his health remains stable. “The nurses call me the ‘Miracle Man’,” he says with a laugh.
SIBLINGS TEAM UP FOR PATIENT CARE Aleighia and Aiden spent a lot of time in the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario while their dad, Peter, received chemotherapy. During Peter’s three years of treatment, Aleighia, Aidan and their mom Krista, got to know the caregivers at the Kingston General Hospital site. The McEathron family present Dr. Booth with One day, Aleighia noticed that her dad’s nurse had funds to purchase new thermometers for the to wait for a thermometer to use. When she asked Cancer Centre. why they couldn’t just get more thermometers, the nurse kindly explained that the hospital relies on donations to purchase them. So, Aleighia decided to ask for donations instead of birthday gifts. Her donation helped to purchase six new thermometers for the Cancer Centre.
Aidan was inspired by his sister to help, too. He decided to grow his hair and invited his family and friends to make donations until he reached his goal. He raised $1,000, and his dad gave him that extra special haircut. The money he raised will support patient care equipment. Sadly, Aleighia and Aidan lost their dad to cancer earlier this year. Yet, these two amazing kids are committed to making the cancer journey easier for other families. They know that every single gift and every single person can make a difference.
WE WALK FOR COMFORT AND CARE Hospital employees of Kingston Health Sciences Centre and Providence Care do everything they can for their patients’ comfort and care – and that includes walking! On September 30, hospital employees came out to UHKF’s annual We Walk for Your Comfort and Care at Lake Ontario Park. This event has raised more than $80,000 over the past three years. Funds raised are used to support patients and their families facing financial dif- Staff from all three hospital sites participated in the 3rd annual We Walk! ficulty as a result of a health crisis. 55 Rideau Street, Suite 4 Kingston, Ontario, K7K 2Z8 Phone 613.549.5452 Toll-Free 1.866.549.5452 Web uhkf.ca
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Charitable #820218147 RR0001