Skip to content

Hospital Foundation reflects on 2018-19 at annual meeting

The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation recapped its accomplishments from the 2018-19 fiscal year during its annual general meeting earlier this month.
Breanne Van de Woestyne
Breanne Van de Woestyne

The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation recapped its accomplishments from the 2018-19 fiscal year during its annual general meeting earlier this month.

According to the report released at the meeting by executive director Breanne Van de Woestyne, $173,648 worth of services and equipment were purchased in 2018-19. They also received $94,023 through their revitalization project and provided $113,611 for doctor recruitment.

The equipment purchased last year was an endoscopy lease for $72,796, a cautery machine for $60,844, a blood pressure monitor for $2,982, a vital sign machine for $2,580, stretchers for $10,800, a portable electrocardiogram for $9,170, a blood analyzer for $8,856 and a blanket warmer for $5,617.

The fundraisers in the 2018-19 fiscal year brought great public awareness of the foundation and were successful, according to Breanne Van de Woestyne, who is the executive director of the foundation.

“We will continue to host our Festival of Trees event, which has proven to be our largest fundraiser. We will be expanding this event into a family festival next year and look forward to its success,” said Van de Woestyne.

The 2019 edition of the Festival of Trees will be Nov. 15-17. Details on the event will be announced at a later date.

The foundation also hosted its annual Radiothon for Life in April 2018, which was well supported by the community.

The revitalization campaign has also continued to be a success, she said, with the development of the Mel, Margaret & Clinton Grimes Chemotherapy Unit.

The annual Colour My Foundation Colour Run saw a decrease in attendance, but the event still raised over $15,000 for the Foundation and educated attendees on the foundation.

The foundation held its first car lottery this year. This fundraiser gained a lot of attention and brought awareness of the foundation to the community.

“We are continually considering new fundraising options, while ensuring our existing fundraisers (if viable) continue to receive priority,” she said.

The fundraisers in 2018-19 generated $455,258 in income and had $205,950 in expenses, for a total of $249,308 in net revenues.

By comparison, the income for 2016-17 was $370,677 while the expenses were $96,987, and in 2017-18 the revenues were $504,065 and expenses were $98,399.

Van de Woestyne noted the hospital foundation has a large following on its Facebook and Twitter accounts. They use social media on a regular basis to promote the foundation, its events and the St. Joseph’s Hospital.

“The hospital foundation’s website was updated and re-designed, has high traffic and has been perceived very well,” said Van de Woestyne. “Online donation processes have been improved and more information about the foundation was added.

“New informational brochures were also created and distributed throughout the hospital with updated information and branding.”