Let me introduce myself - I was born and raised in Dufferin - trained by my family in the importance of participating, getting involved and serving throughout our community. Today I am a wife of 20 years to Marc, a mother to four wonderful children (all born at Headwaters!), an entrepreneur, a volunteer and an ambassador for all that is good in our great community. After six years of being a Committee member, a Board member and a Headwaters Innovator, I now have the privilege of serving as the new Board Chair of Headwaters Health Care Foundation. I am honoured by this new role and am looking forward to giving back to the community that I love and call home.
Of course, this past year and a half was like no other. It has challenged us, made us adapt to new realities and inspired us to come together and to persevere. COVID-19 also amplified the vital role that Headwaters plays in securing and delivering top-notch health care for ourselves and those we love.
I applaud the resilience of our staff and physicians during this tiring and stress-filled season. With equal admiration I thank our community for the generous support shown to ensure that our frontline health care team has been equipped to do what they do best: improve and save lives.
Challenging times do indeed have a way of bringing out out the best in people. So, despite the crisis and challenges of COVID-19, the Headwaters Foundation has seen unprecedented success under the Board leadership of Tim Peters (Past Chair) over the past two years.
Recognition also needs to be given to our fearless past CEO, Dora Boylen-Pabst. Under Dora’s leadership, passion and tenacity, COVID-19 was never going to be an excuse to modify our goals, but rather became an opportunity for our team to be creative and still see success...And what success we had!
Our revenue has increased from over $4M per year to over $6M in FY21! This is such an amazing achievement and also an accurate reflection of this generous and supportive community. I am so very thankful!
But why does the Foundation need to raise so much money every year? You may already know this, but just in case you don’t, here it is loud and clear: THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ANY HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT. As you can imagine, with ever-changing technology, the reality of repairs and replacements of medical equipment, and aging infrastructure, the list of needs is extensive. Everything from IV poles to X-ray machines and everything in between is the result of the good will of local donors.* This is often shocking news for some! It is also the main reason why the Board of Directors, along with our motivated Foundation staff and volunteers, works hard to raise much needed funds to keep our hospital on the leading-edge of health care, right here, close to home.
Just this past year the Foundation with its many community partners celebrated several achievements: a new mammogram machine with tomosynthesis, a radiant warmer for obstetrics, smart pumps, an HD video tower for surgery, COVID specific needs and much more. Looking ahead, we continue to set some lofty goals. Besides raising funds for our urgent needs, we are also raising funds for Meditech - a complete modernization of our electronic medical record system, with tremendous impact on the community. In April we launched Investing in a Clearer Picture, bringing state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging equipment to Headwaters with a goal of raising $3.5 million over two years. To date we sit at just over $1,244,943 raised towards this goal! There is work to be done.
So, together with generous community donors and local businesses, the Foundation plays an imperative role in raising the funds to meet urgent medical equipment needs. With some hard work and passion we will strive to meet these goals.
It matters to all of us that our hospital be equipped and empowered to give the best care to the ones we love, to those suffering and those in need. And this is what motivates me! This is why I am proud to be the new Board Chair. Many of you know that I do not have the constitution to handle the finer details of healthcare so working in a hospital wasn’t something I was going to enjoy, and yet I can still be a positive contributor to a successful, life-giving, local hospital. And so can you!
I encourage you to learn more about Headwaters Health Care Centre and how you can be a part of making a difference. Every donation we receive has a significant and meaningful impact on health care for our community today and for the generations to come.
With thanks and appreciation,
Sarah Mailhot