Lorraine Wells wants to give back to the health care system that helped out her husband Robert Wells through four surgeries.
That’s why nearly a year ago she joined the Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital Foundation and was proud to be celebrating the foundation’s 30th anniversary on Friday afternoon.
“My husband took advantage of hospital services with two major and two minor surgeries,” Wells said. “We have to keep our surgeons and staff here and one way of doing that is having the right equipment available to them.”
Formed Nov. 17, 1987, the foundation has raised more than $2.8 million for the purchase of different types of medical equipment throughout the years.
As a former hospital worker in Corner Brook, Wells is well aware of the value of hospital staff and would love to raise money and get everything needed. The latest fundraising by the group is for the purchase of a Pyxis Medicine Cabinet.
Laura Aylward, the current foundation chair, has a long history with the hospital as she worked for 33 years at the old Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital in the purchasing department and has been with with the foundation as Stephenville town council representative since 1993.
She became chair in November 2016 and was recently re-elected to the position. Aylward got involved because of her experience working at the hospital, her interest in health care and in helping people.
She recognized the work of people with the foundation, in conjunction with a commitment by Abitibi-Consolidated employees at the time getting a renal dialysis for the hospital in 2000.
Aylward said she’s had a number of friends who have made use of the unit and who have been saved having to travel long distances because of it.
“It shows what can be done when you get people to work together for one common goal,” she said
Aylward said the mammography equipment purchased by the foundation has helped out many women in early detection.
She had high praise for staff at the hospital and for the foundation’s development officer Anna Simon, who has been in the position for 16 years.
Major purchases
1995 – Ultrasound Equipment, $160,000.00
2000 – Renal Dialysis Equipment, $258,000.00
2001 – Video Scope Package, $115,000.00
2005 – Ultrasound Equipment, $203,776.00
2017 – Pyxis Medicine Cabinet, $142,360.00
Source: Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital Foundation
