hospital auxRepresentatives from the Timmins and District Hospital Foundation attended the TADH Auxiliary’s annual Christmas party in the TADH Lecture Theatre on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 for a cheque presentation.

Presenting the $75,000 gift cheque on behalf of the TADH Auxiliary were Debbie Dupuis, Gift Shop Purchaser and Annette Gelinas, Treasurer. Accepting the cheque on behalf of the Timmins and District Hospital were Kim Bazinet, Unit Manager, ER, ICU, Specialty Clinic, and Orthopaedic Clinic; Josée Jean, Director, Integrated Surgical & Special Services; Vicky Bernard, Unit Manager, Maternal Child, Mental Health & Surgical Programs; and Janna Burke, Executive Director, TADH Foundation.

“We are thrilled to be accepting this very generous gift from our hospital Auxiliary,” stated Janna Burke, TADH Foundation Executive Director. “What’s even more exciting is the fact that this donation will bring their cumulative total donations to a most-impressive $1,415,490.00,” added Burke.

This $75,000 contribution to the Foundation’s 2013-2016 Capital Campaign will go toward the purchase of urgently-needed medical equipment including a table-top sterilizer for the Surgical Program, an EMG machine (electromyography) for the Specialty Clinic, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED); and 26 bed mattresses with bedding for Inpatient Mental Health.

“We are in desperate need for the EMG machine in order to be able to recruit a new physiatrist for the Specialty Clinic which sees more than 500 patients per year,” said Kim Bazinet, RN – Unit Manager, ER, ICU, Specialty Clinic, and
Orthopaedic Clinic. “We have been without a physiatrist since November 2014 and we currently have 75 referrals waiting to be seen,” added Bazinet. “It is thanks to the hard work and generosity of our hospital’s Auxiliary that we can finally move forward and get these patients the care they need.”

“Optimal sleep is extremely important when it comes to patients’ recovery in our MHU,” stated Josée Jean, RN – Director, Integrated Surgical & Special Services, TADH. “All of our patients facing mental illness and requiring inpatient care will benefit from this generous gift from our Hospital Auxiliary,” continued Jean.

“We meet many people from Timmins and surrounding communities,” stated Nancy Pandolfi, Auxiliary President. “We want to ensure that the best medical equipment is available for everyone who comes through our doors,” added Pandolfi.

The Timmins and District Hospital Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that raises much-needed funds for the local hospital.

Funds are raised through the gift shop, tuck wagon, book and knitting sales, Nevada ticket sales, raffles, bazaars and bake sales. There are no paid employees at the hospital gift shop. It is 100% volunteer-driven and run by 112 active and non-active volunteers who logged in more than 11,271 volunteer hours in 2015 in the gift shop, hospital promenade and behind the scenes.

More than 40 auxiliary volunteers were in attendance for today’s Christmas luncheon.