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www.gregmonforton.com Volume 3, Issue 34
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
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Weekend Weather Thursday
H 20º L 12º
Friday
H 20º L 11º
Saturday
H 15º L 12º
Sunday
H 17º L 10º
As reported from Environment Canada www.weatheroffice.gc.ca Harrow AAFC
Leamington District Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Women’s Centre fundraising committee held up signs to show the total raised to date in the $1.1 million campaign during the kick-off celebration held on Thursday, September 13. Pictured from left to right are: Sheila McBrayne, Susan Ross, Deb Jones-Chambers, Lisa Finaldi, Margaret Adams, Deb Scott, Judy Butler, and Debbie Kobayashi. (SUN Photo)
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Great start for LDMH Women’s Centre By Bryan Jessop
Not many can advance nearly one-third of the way to their final destination after making the first step, but that’s what the Leamington District Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Women’s Centre Fundraising Campaign has done. The Women’s Centre Committee, a formation of local volunteers, announced a sum of about $320,000 contributed towards the hospital’s newest facility. The Women’s Centre, for which construction is scheduled to begin in November of this year, will run a calculated cost of about $1.1 million. This money is to be raised without any form or government subsidization, but organizers are not daunted by the $780,000 task that lies ahead of them. The optimistic approach to the fundraising campaign is being made evident by the slogan ‘Together, we will... Diagnostic Centre For Health’. Businesses, organizations and individuals who are involved with or have contributed to the campaign thus far were introduced during the campaign launch by emcee Jane Toppi Thursday, Sept. 13 at Leamington’s Portuguese Club. These included Women’s Centre Committee chairperson Judy Butler, LDMH Foundation director of development Ross Barnwell, Leamington Councillor Hilda MacDonald (who spoke on behalf of Mayor John Paterson, who was unable to attend), Essex County Warden Tom Bain, Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos, LDMH board of directors president Brian Myer, LDMH clinical manager of diagnostic services Rose Costa, LDMH chief of radiology Dr. Martha Ledman, and Women’s Centre committee member Sheila McBrayne. “It’s a fabulous initiative to move forward on,” said MacDonald. “This can only add to what we see as a great quality of life in our community.”
Judy Butler
Rose Costa
Dr. Martha Ledman
Bryan Myer spoke to the group of more than 100 guests on behalf of the LDMH board of directors, explaining that the Women’s Centre committee is making both an admirable and pivotal effort to improve the hospital’s services. “It’s a good day to see these people here to support a service we need in this region,” Myer said. “When the Women’s Centre is open, that will be a great day.” The hospital’s clinic manager of diagnostic services Rose Costa also expressed sentiments of enthusiasm towards the drive for a new Women’s Centre, noting that some of the technology current being used at LDMH is nearly 20 years old. She also noted that current issues of convenience, privacy and confidentiality will also be solved by the new centre, which will feature multiple patient services and equipment all within close proximity to each other. Women’s Centre committee member Sheila McBrayne, an LDMH breast cancer patient, supported Costa’s explanation as to why the new centre will be a dramatic improvement to current facilities. “Dignity and privacy are matters that have to be looked at as top priorities,” McBrayne said in describing her experience last year with the hospital’s current set up. Following commentary, a series of cheque presentations were made to the Women’s Centre Fundraising Campaign, each of which represented a significant contribution to the starting total of $320,000. The Women’s Centre committee was formed in the early spring of this year and to the delight of Butler, did not include a painstaking effort to recruit members. “A lot of people just stepped forward on their own,” she (Continued on Page 2)