Originally published by the Chronicle Herald. Pictured: Sherry Porter is volunteer chair of campaign engagement for the QEII Foundation’s $100-million We Are campaign.
Health care is set to reach new heights in Halifax, where the QEII Foundation has embarked upon the largest healthcare fundraising campaign in the history of Atlantic Canada.
The QEII Foundation’s We Are campaign is a $100-million multi-year campaign aimed at transforming healthcare services at the QEII Health Sciences Centre by advancing care, evolving and improving patient experiences, and tackling some of the greatest challenges facing health care today.
“This is the reimagining of how health care can be delivered for future generations,” says Susan Mullin, QEII Foundation President and CEO.
Government is investing in the construction of new buildings and facilities through the QEII New Generation project; a massive redevelopment of the QEII site. Mullin says an amazing opportunity exists for the community, through the QEII Foundation, to elevate this once-in-a-generation project to the next level and revolutionize care.
“This is a moment in time to think big, and that’s what we’ve done with this campaign. It’s much larger than any healthcare fundraising campaign that’s happened in Atlantic Canada, so this is an opportunity to challenge the status quo, equip these new facilities with the most advanced technology available, and attract the brightest clinical minds,” says Mullin.
“People who deliver health care are attracted to healthcare centres that have the facilities and resources they need, and groundbreaking technology and research at hand, to make a difference. This is what we’re aiming to bring here, and our donor community will be the ones to make that possible at the QEII.”
When talking to potential donors, Mullin says relevancy of health care is always a topic of conversation. Many Atlantic Canadians, at some point in their lives, will require services at the QEII. Building a centre of excellence is essential and this is what the We Are campaign is all about, whether someone is receiving care at the QEII as their local community hospital or specialized treatment for cancer or heart health.
“Together with donors, we are laser-focused on ensuring better access to care, funding and developing first-in-the-world technologies, improving wait times and patient outcomes, and igniting new research and innovation opportunities across many care areas,” says Mullin.
As volunteer chair of campaign engagement, Sherry Porter is a key part of the We Are campaign, and helps secure volunteer leadership for priority areas like cancer care, surgical innovation, mental health and addictions, heart health, diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation.
Porter says some of these priority care areas are already benefiting from early money raised by the We Are campaign, including “the acquisition of Atlantic Canada’s first surgical robot, new and expanded interventional radiology suites, genetic sequencing technology for cancer treatment, e-mental health services, and Atlantic Canada’s first hybrid operating room slated to open this spring.”
While the impact this campaign will have on every Atlantic Canadian is undeniable, Porter says it’ll still take a lot of people to make it happen. And while big donations certainly help any campaign reach its goal, donations of any size are all important as the We Are campaign continues moving towards its $100-million goal.
“It’s so exciting — this will truly make a big difference to people across Atlantic Canada,” says Porter.