Hospital Foundation rebrands, takes on ambitious fundraising campaign

The newly rebranded Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation has set an ambitious fundraising goal for the next five years. The former QEII Hospital Foundation is looking to bring in $20 million through its Key to Care Capital Campaign. Executive Director Cindy Park says the main focus will be on bringing costly medical equipment that wouldn’t normally be in a city like ours.
 
“Equipment that may be in Edmonton or Calgary and people would have to travel to get that type of service. Once that service is here, Alberta Health Services continues with that and replaces it over time. Our biggest one in the past was the MRI, so once we had the MRI system here, it’s already been replaced.”
 
Since the hospital foundation was founded in 1984, it has brought in nearly $14 million. Its goal is the largest for a regional hospital in Alberta, but Park believes in the generosity of the community.
 
It was announced at the Festival of Trees Gala Saturday that both Seven Generations Energy and the Ken & Teresa Sargent Charitable Foundation have each made a one million dollar commitment to the campaign. Sean Sargent says its important for Ken Sargent GMC and Sean Sargent Toyota to give back to the community.
 
“Everybody in some way, shape or form is going to be touched by the enhancements this money will do and has done in the past to enhance the health care for people in the area. In the past, the money that has been given to the hospital foundation has bought cutting edge equipment that we didn’t have before that now brings in the doctors that wouldn’t have come if we didn’t have the equipment.”
 
In addition to specialized medical equipment that wouldn’t normally be brought to GP, the funds will also go towards a legacy fund, art healing initiatives and education for patients and staff. Sargent is also on the Capital Campaign Cabinet, which is co-chaired by Lyle Carlstrom and Dr. Cled Lewis.