Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1519806
20 Manitoba T he Grace Hospital has been serving the community since 1904. Although its role has changed over the years, the hospital has always been there for those in need of care. In 2016, Grace Hospital became one of Winnipeg's three acute care sites. Its 24-hour emergency department offers patient care – including emergency surgery - around the clock. Funded largely by the Grace Hospital Foundation, donors, and the community, numerous necessary upgrades were made to support this expanded mandate. Each year, Grace Hospital Foundation raises vital funds for patient care and hospital upgrades that are otherwise not funded by the government. Fundraising events, such as Grace Hospital Day, the bocce ball tournament, the annual Grace Gala, and the Tree of Life winter celebration, are key to reaching the foundation's goals. These events are also our way of saying thank you to our donors and community for their ongoing support. Numbers matter when it comes to fundraising. Each year, the Grace Hospital provides over 11,000 surgical procedures, 45,000 emergency department visits, 6,500 inpatient admissions, 25,000 clinic visits, 17,000 CT scans, 7,000 MRIs, and 36,000 x-rays. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how the Grace Hospital cares for Winnipeggers. They also offer ongoing support for staff, special equipment, and patient care programs such as pet therapy, newspapers for patients, the patient book cart, and so much more. Naturally, in order to provide this superior level of care, other numbers matter too – costs. These are just a few of the enhancements that the Foundation fundraised for and contributed to: $3 million to renovate and expand the diagnostic imaging department; $250,000 to add echocardiogram services; $650,000 to support staff resources and patient care needs during the COVID-19 pandemic; $6 million to build a new emergency department and MRI suite and $2.5 million to build Grace Hospice. Clearly, the need is great. Thankfully, so is the support from our community. This year, we are truly grateful to the Kothari Group for their extraordinary commitment to our facility. They have matched all donations from our Seeds of Hope campaign and Grace Hospital Day up to $100,000. Every contribution - no matter how small - helps. There are several ways to show support for our patients' quality of care, research, staff, and all the efforts the Grace Hospital offers. You may contribute to a specific campaign, set up a gift in memoriam, or even arrange to donate monthly (and choose specifically what you would prefer to support). If you are unable to attend events or donate, you can still assist the Grace by spreading the word about Grace Hospital Foundation and encouraging others to get involved. Whichever way you choose to support the Grace Hospital, know that your generosity is truly appreciated. THE GRACE HOSPITAL – a foundation for patient care THE GRACE HOSPITAL To learn more about how the Grace Hospital positively impacts our community, subscribe to our mailing list. To donate, please go to https://www.gracehospitalfoundation.ca/general-donations/. From left to right: Manuel Ortega, Jon Einarson, Vanessa Cardinal, Leah Johnston, Yvonne Dubé. Photo by Kelly Allison Photography