A donation has been made on behalf of the Dustin Pratt Memorial Fund to support children at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
The fund has awarded the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation a cheque for $15,000. The donation will be designated towards renovations in the emergency room children’s waiting area and developing a child care package program in the Unit A and obstetrics departments.
The new youth program at the hospital, Project Tomorrow: Youth Ambassadors will be a huge asset to the planning and execution of these projects.
“We are so grateful for this donation as we celebrate Dustin’s legacy in our hospital,” said St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation executive director Breanne Van De Woestyne.
“The funds will be used to help children when they are at the hospital either for medical reasons or visiting a loved one. With the help of this donation, we are able to improve the children’s area in our ER department and also develop a program that allows us to deliver care packages to children that are admitted.
“The packages will include teddy bears, kids’ hospital gowns, activity books and more.”
Dustin Pratt died tragically in a workplace accident in August 2016. His family and friends then created the Dustin Pratt Memorial Fund in his memory.
“Anyone who got the opportunity to know Dustin had the privilege of enduring the most contagious laugh, and Dustin’s huge heart,” the hospital foundation wrote in a news release. “Dustin was always willing to give anyone a helping hand when he could. Dustin’s heart and personality were one of a kind.”
The mission with the Dustin Pratt Memorial Fund is to help local families in need and to be able to give back to help children and youth.
Renovations and care packages will start in early 2020.
Next week’s edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
