Message from the Chair
Neil Le Blanc, Chair. Yarmouth Hospital Foundation.
An important transition I’ve witnessed during my tenure as chair of the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation Board of Directors is the shift in our donors’ understanding away from the idea that our hospitals’ equipment is largely funded by the province. From replacing end-of-life items to keeping up with the latest advances in medical technology, it falls on communities and hospital foundations like ours to supply most of the medical equipment that our regional hospital needs. That realization is key to understanding just why we fundraise, and why we are always working hard to engage with our valued donors (like you) and to communicate the vital needs of our regional hospital to our community.
People often ask me how the foundation ‘chooses’ what to buy for the hospital, but the thing is, we don’t. We’re not the experts: we’re the conduit between the generous people of the Tri-Counties who want to look out for their neighbors and the experts at Nova Scotia Health who determine the equipment needs and priorities of our regional hospital. In 2022, the foundation committed over $3 million towards vital equipment for Yarmouth Regional Hospital per the assessed needs list presented to us and prioritized by Nova Scotia Health.
Our board is committed to ensuring that the quality of the equipment available is excellent and that your investments in the health and well-being of your community advances the quality and scope of care our hospital can provide, right here at home. Last year, two of our major fundraising campaigns enabled YRH to offer services here in Yarmouth that local patients previously had to drive to Kentville or Halifax to get. I call that a win for our hospital and our community!
Looking ahead, the foundation’s major challenge is to make sure we can continue to meet the needs for new equipment, services, and facilities by continuing to engage the support of our donors throughout the Tri-Counties. Fortunately, our board is comprised of a wide range of qualified volunteers from Yarmouth, Digby and Shelburne counties who help ensure that we meet this challenge head on and empower our hospital and front-line workers to serve the health care needs of our community. To them, and to the rest of our incredible community of generous donors and hardworking staff and volunteers: thank you. Yarmouth Regional Hospital is better for all that all of you do.
