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An anonymous local donor is writing a $2-million cheque to a London hospital, a no-strings-attached mega-donation arriving just days before Christmas.
The mystery donor is leaving how the sum will be spent up to the St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, the fundraising arm of St. Joseph’s Health Care London, stipulating only that it supports the highest-priority patient care needs.
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“We are humbled at receiving such a unique and generous gift,” foundation president Michelle Campbell said in a statement. “A gift of this magnitude will have remarkable impact on the care excellence the hospital can provide.”
The unnamed donor, through an advisor, told the foundation they wanted to make a difference and figured that a big-ticket donation earmarked for the highest-priority needs at St. Joseph’s would do just that.
“Their goal was to have a significant social impact and ensure that each person received the best care possible,” the advisor said.
While the provincial government funds much of hospitals’ day-to-day operations, including staffing costs, hospitals rely on donor funds to buy equipment, fund capital improvements and support research projects not covered by taxpayer dollars.
“Philanthropy plays such a critical role in our ability to provide exceptional care to our community,” St. Joseph’s president Roy Butler said in a statement. “The donor has also encouraged our organization to determine the highest and best use, and that is a measure of confidence we take to heart.”
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St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation received approximately $8.8 million in receipted and non-receipted donations in its 2023-24 budget year, which concluded on March 31. The foundation directed $4.6 million to frontline patient care needs over the same time period.
Among its operations, St. Joe’s runs an urgent care centre and has renowned breast, eye and upper limb surgical programs. St. Joseph’s also operates Mount Hope long-term care, the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care in St. Thomas, and Parkwood Institute, a complex care centre that includes rehabilitation and veterans’ services.
The hospital handles approximately 51,000 visits to its urgent care centre each year and has approximately 794,000 outpatient appointments annually.
The hospital’s annual budget is approximately $589.8 million.
jbieman@postmedia.com
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