(Eight hospitals throughout Huron and Bruce Counties were each the recipients of a $5,000 donation by the Insurance Bureau of Canada in a reception in Lucknow on February 19 hosted by Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, Rebecca Heessels was guest speaker, sharing her family’s experiences gaps and challenges in securing health services in Ontario throughout her son’s illness. Front from left: Rebecca Heessels, guest speaker, South Huron; Kimberley Payne, Executive Director of South Huron Hospital Foundation (SHHF) Exeter; Brenda Teichert, Director, Alexandra Marine & General Hospital (AMGH) Foundation, Goderich; Dick Burgess, Seaforth Community Hospital; Lisa Thompson, Huron-Bruce MPP; Sally Kidson, Executive Director, Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF), Southampton; Russ Taylor, Chair of the Wingham and District Hospital Foundation (WDHF), Back from left: Ron Lavioe, Chair, Seaforth Community Hospital; Doug DeRabbie, Director of Government Relations, Insurance Bureau of Canada; Andy Bingham, Treasurer SMHF, Southampton; Myles Murdock, Chair AMGH, Goderich; Tim Mancell, Chair of the Walkerton District Hospital Foundation who was also accepted for Kincardine and Community Healthcare Foundation. Photo courtesy of Valerie Gillies, Postmedia Network)
AMGH Foundation Receives $5,000 Donation
Valerie Gillies, Postmedia Network
Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson hosted a presentation reception at the Lucknow Sports Complex on February 19 that had the Insurance Bureau of Canada present a donation cheque of $5,000 to each of eight hospital foundations throughout Huron and Bruce Counties. When Thompson had seen similar donations being given out to Grey County hospital foundations from the Insurance Bureau, she was quick to contact the Bureau and Grey/Bruce/Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker to find out how to make it happen for her own constituency.
Doug DeRabbie, Director of Government Relations for the Insurance Bureau of Canada related that Thompson had been working hard with them since last fall to make this happen. Thompson appealed to the interest that the Bureau takes in rural Ontario. “This is only the second time we have done this,” DeRabbie said during the presentation. The Insurance Bureau of Canada understands that it takes partnerships to make things happen. The hospital foundation workers are those who operate in the communities to ensure that services can happen. DeRabbie explained that they realize that it is an ongoing struggle to deliver services without the necessary funding. “We are happy to help the workers be able to do their work.”
In her introduction, Thompson spoke about her ongoing work to “get politics and crazy-thinking out of the way” when it comes to diagnosing and treating rare diseases in Ontario. An example of this is Lyme Disease, which is present in Huron and Bruce, but which Ontario doctors are not allowed to treat under the current system. Thompson has spent much time working with Michael Harris out of Toronto to try to help families who are dealing with rare diseases to be able to sustain their quality of life as a family, not just the quality of life of the person with the rare disease. Thompson asked everyone to get the word out about a new website created specifically to address some of these issues at #TreatRareDiseases.
Rebecca Heessels of South Huron was invited to speak at the reception. Her family is well-known to Thompson and is one of the examples of why more needs to be done to address gaps in health care services and to help families in Ontario who are dealing with a rare disease. Heessels and her husband Robert have been struggling with the illness of one of their sons, Cole. Cole was taken to Exeter Hospital and later transferred to London due to kidney failure and has had to have his left hand and left leg amputated. He has been in and out of hospitals for surgeries and treatments for most of his kindergarten through grade three years. Cole was diagnosed with a chronic, life-threatening disease with no known cure, atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS), a rare illness that occurs approximately once in every one million births. He was in need of a kidney transplant, however he was not eligible for the surgery until he was on a specific medication, one which is an orphan drug not covered by health care benefits. Without the transplant or medication, there was no other alternative but dialysis. Heessels related that it was difficult for her family to maintain a normal life while juggling the needs of their son with his illness and his two siblings while running a farm.
Much time was taken up in letter writing and advocacy to get the medication that Cole needed, but they were eventually successful and Cole did get his transplant two years ago. Heessels assured everyone that, although there are ongoing therapies for Cole, including the ongoing medications that go along with receiving a donour organ, he is now in every other way a normal healthy and thriving nine-year-old boy.
(Brenda Teichert, Director and Myles Murdock, Chair accepted the donation to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (AMGH) in Goderich made by the Insurance Bureau of Canada in Lucknow on February 19. From left: Doug DeRabbie, Director of Government Relations, Insurance Bureau of Canada; Brenda Teichert, Director, AMGH; Lisa Thompson, Huron-Bruce MPP; Myles Murdock, Chair, AMGH. Photo courtesy of Valerie Gillies Postmedia Network)
Heessels is upset that, although her son has been helped, “There are still so many patients out there being denied.” She states, “Getting a diagnosis is key and getting therapies is tough.” Both are difficult when dealing with a disease many doctors are not aware of or familiar with. There is still much negotiating that needs to be done between the government and the national strategy for treating rare diseases. She urges people to make themselves aware of the issues and relates, “It will be interesting to meet other families and hear their stories” during World-Wide Rare Disease Day on February 29.
(Rebecca Heessels was a guest speaker at the presentation ceremony. She spoke on where there are still gaps and challenges in securing health services for families dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases in Ontario, sharing experiences with her son’s illness. Photo courtesy of Valerie Gillies Postmedia Network)
Following Heessels talk, Thompson drew attention to the interest that the Insurance Bureau of Canada has already shown in rural Ontario and in this area specifically. They have already donated carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors to be distributed in the area and have earned the trust of the local Amish community by working with them to find alarms that are acceptable to them.
Thompson introduced DeRabbie and together they made the presentations of the $5,000 donations to each of the hospital foundations in turn. Each foundation was given the opportunity to speak briefly on what their current goals and projects are and how the funds would help.
Myles Murdock, Chair of Alexandra Marine and General Hospital Foundation in Goderich remarked that it is often difficult to convince people in Toronto that rural is different than urban. The population AMGH serves is older and is in hospital more. They have to travel more for health care service, but still expect to receive the same level of care as in urban facilities.
Murdock stated that the role of the Foundation is to “ensure that people in our municipality have the best people in our municipality have the best health care possible in their circumstances.” Sustainability is an issue that will take a major change in political processes to address. “It takes many hands to make it happen.”
Goderich is now doing strategic planning. Murdock thanked Thompson for her work in making this donation possible as “there is never enough money to go around.”
Virginia Steckle, Administrative Assistant for Clinton Public Hospital Foundation, thanks both
Thompson and DeRabbie. The funds will go towards work that is being done in the OR department in Clinton.
Sally Kidson, Executive Director of Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF) in Southampton, said of the foundations, “I wish we weren’t needed.”
She knows of families in her area that have similar stories to the Heessels. “They are dealing with rare diseases and are so lost in the system.” Kidson pointed out that farmers unique in Ontario’s population. They are spread out in rural areas making it necessary to have hospitals in their small communities. Another thing that Southampton struggles with in reporting their needs to government is that it is a tourist area, therefore healthcare needs go up greatly I the summer, coming back down afterwards.
Andy Bingham, Treasurer of SMHF, asserted, “Volunteers are the key to keeping the health care system working.” He added, “We need things like this today to recognize rural dynamics vs. urban.” The funds received will help as the hospital is in the middle of expansion.
Ron Lavoie and Dick Burgess of the Huron-Perth Health alliance expressed their appreciation. The Seaforth Community Hospital is in need of a new ultrasound unit which will cost approximately $50 thousand.
Burgess commented, “The alliance is collectively a large organization and a lot of money comes in, but it is not enough.” He is appreciative of the generosity of the community adding that, “Rural people are more attached to their hospitals.”
Kimberley Payne, Executive Director of South Huron Hospital Foundation (SHHF) accepted the donation to Exeter. She opened by suggesting that Heessels should be invited to speak to the Inspiring Women of Huron program. Payne exclaimed, “I am excited to see everyone today as we don’t often get to see others from other foundations often!”
Stories of how people and families are touched by the local hospitals are important to share as they help to bring in dollars. Exeter has a unique model for their health care facilities. They also struggle with the tourist fluctuation as they serve Grand Bend. The funds received will go towards digital imaging and new beds for the hospital.
Tim Mancell, Chair of the Walkerton District Hospital, acknowledged that there are four hospitals within Grey Bruce Health Services including Walkerton, Kincardine, Durham and Chesley. Mancell observed, “It has been a long time since government has given even inflationary increases to health care payments.”
The Walkerton District Hospital is currently fundraising to replace their 25-year-old CAT scan, which is the oldest in the province of Ontario. He pointed out that all equipment needs to be maintained and eventually replaces. “There will always be projects and there will always be equipment needed.” Mancell also accepted the donation for Kincardine and Community Healthcare Foundation in their absence.
Russ Taylor, Chair of the Wingham and District Hospital Foundation (WDHF), stated that the donation will help to reach their current campaign goal of $4 million. Expansion of the Oncology Unit is a priority and is something that has touched Taylor personally.
“I was one of the first patients in that unit. It was timely, as I would have had to drive to London for treatment. I could drive myself to Wingham but I could not have driven myself to London.”
In closing, Thompson admitted that she is known for wearing her rural heart on her sleeve for Huron-Bruce. She had spoken to the Insurance Brokers of Canada about the 100th anniversary of 4-H this past year and the leadership skills that are taught through the programs.
(Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson is working to get out the awareness of gaps in health care services for rare diseases in Ontario. She is asking people to visit #TreatRareDiseases to share their stories and to urge the Ontario government to treat rare diseases in the province. Thompson brought attention to the site at a reception help in Lucknow on February 19. Lisa Thompson acknowledged the help from her constituent Assistants Sarah Bair (left) and Janet Haines (right). Photo courtesy of Valerie Gillies Postmedia Network)
Thompson was pleased to announce that the Bureau had not only donated the $40,000 total to the hospitals that day, but had also made a $1,000 donation to each of the Huron County 4-H and Bruce County 4-H foundations, bringing the total donations on that day to Huron-Bruce to $42 thousand.
Thompson thanked all for attending and said, “Being around people like you is the shot of adrenaline that keeps my spark at Queen’s Park to keep going.” Now that she is busier with her appointment as Environment and Cap and Trade Critic, Thompson expressed her appreciation that she has the ongoing help of her team.
Source: The Goderich Signal Star
