As Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) in Lindsay prepares for a “new era of growth” in the region, the hospital’s foundation has embarked on the largest capital campaign in its history with a key message for community members.
Having officially launched the $25-million “We Are The Ross” campaign last Thursday (June 19), the RMH Foundation is reinforcing how every donation, no matter how big or how small, is an investment in local healthcare.
“Our greatest hope is to inspire everyone in Kawartha Lakes to join us in this important campaign,” RMH Foundation CEO Erin Coons told kawarthaNOW. “Our donors are a vital part of patient care, and their support is critical for our talented physicians and staff to care for patients. It will take all of us to make it happen.”
Coons noted that, while the average community member may not be able to make a large donation, they can still make an important contribution to the hospital.
“There is a reason why we say, ‘every donor makes a difference.’ When it comes to multi-million-dollar acquisitions such as these, the cumulative impact of everyone’s generosity — gifts of all sizes — is how we get to our goal,” Coons explained.
“This is a community effort. Every gift — from donations made in response to our appeal letters, to tribute gifts and fundraising events — these all add up in a big way to make big things possible.”
The population of Kawartha Lakes has grown significantly according to the municipality, rising from 79,247 in 2021 to around 84,000 in 2024, with projections nearing 120,000 by 2051. With the population surging and advancing technology broadening patient care possibilities, the RMH Foundation is encouraging the public to play an essential role in the transformation underway at the hospital.
On June 19, the RMH Foundation campaign team was joined by donors, hospital and foundation board members, hospital staff and physicians, and local dignitaries to celebrate the public launch of the capital campaign.
“By supporting critical investments at the Ross, our community can ensure timely access to gold standard care close to home,” said RMH Foundation campaign chair Tim Shauf.
“The We are the Ross campaign is transforming the delivery of care in Kawartha Lakes, funding $25 million in essential facilities and technology improvements that bring the Ross to the forefront of modern patient care.”
Shauf said that, during a health emergency, everyone deserves the best care possible.
“That’s why my family and I have promised our help to this campaign. The hospital team goes to great lengths for its patients and to do their best, they need the right tools, modern facilities, and access to the latest medical science. That’s how we as donors can help.”
The hospital’s highest priority projects including responding to rapid population growth by growing its critical care capacity and modernizing its emergency department and intensive care unit, ensuring access to leading-edge diagnostic technology and state-of-the-art bedside equipment to enable life-saving care, and transforming the patient experience and connecting real-time test results and patient information to make it available to every care provider and patient when and where it’s needed.
As a result of early support during the “quiet phase” of the campaign before its official launch, over $21 million — more the 85 per cent of the campaign goal — has already been raised, funding critical acquisitions such as a new MRI, a CT scanner, and a clinical information system.
“From the outset of the quiet phase of the campaign, we have been connecting with residents and cottagers and we consistently hear two resounding messages: first, the Ross is the heart of the community, and second, the hospital must keep up with the growth in our population,” said Mona Malcolm Sharman, RMH Foundation board chair.
As RMH president and CEO Kelly Isfan prepares to leave her role at the hospital, she shared her gratitude with donors who are helping to build the future of health care at RMH and meet the needs of the growing population.
“Our community’s investments help the hospital provide equitable care, close to home, for our patients and keeps us positioned to recruit and retain talented healthcare providers who share our goal of delivering exceptional care,” she said.
Isfan is retiring from her position on August 29. RMH’s board of directors has approved the appointment of Veronica Nelson as the hospital’s next president and CEO. She will begin in the role on September 8.
Currently the president and CEO of Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS), Nelson will be rejoining RMH after departing in June 2023 for the HHHS position on an interim basis before officially taking over in December 2023.
Nelson started her career at RMH 25 years ago as a medical radiation technologist and worked her way up over the years, most recently serving as vice-president and chief operating officer.
For more information on the RMH Foundation’s We Are The Ross capital campaign and to make a donation, visit wearetheross.ca.
