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NLHF Gratitude Campaign reaches $16M goal after $3 Million donation from Suncor

Last Updated Dec 4, 2018 at 11:32 am MDT

PHOTO. Supplied. L-R Brian White (Suncor), Lorna Ash (NLHF), Andrew Boutilier (Board NLHF), Cindy Amerongen (NLHF), Greg Fuhr (Board NLHF), Melanie Antoine (Chair NLFH), Brent Janke (Suncor), Bruno Francoeur (Suncor), Shelley Powell (Suncor), Murray Crawford (AHS), Brenda Sautner (Board NLHF), Conor Clark (Board NLFH).

Christmas came early for the Northern Lights Health Foundation as the Gratitude Campaign has received the largest gift they have ever been given.

Suncor and the Suncor Energy Foundation have donated $3-million to the Minimally Invasive Surgical (MIS) suites project, and the renovation of the Northern Lights Health Centre lobby.

Bruno Francoeur, Suncor regional operations executive said in a press release that the company is proud to be part of the community and wants to ensure residents have access to the healthcare they need.

“With this support, we hope more residents can remain in the Wood Buffalo region for needed care, and ultimately experience positive outcomes as a result,” said Francoeur.

The MIS project was the most expensive project to be funded by the campaign at a cost of $7.6 million. Four operating rooms will be upgraded into state-of-the-art operating theatres that will provide an optimal operating environment for staff and patients. The theatres will result in 500 more surgeries being preformed locally, attracting highly skills surgeons to the region and improving patient outcomes with smaller surgical incisions.

The lobby will now be known as the Suncor Heart of Health Lobby and once renovations are complete it will have improved lighting, more seating, power stations for electronics, handicapped accessible washrooms, wayfinding to direct individuals to various areas of the facility and will reflect local Indigenous and multi-cultural communities.

“Since the launch of the Gratitude Campaign we have heard time and time again from the community that nothing is more important than healthcare close to home. And healthcare at the hospital starts with a warm welcome and excellent surgical opportunities,” said Cindy Amerongen, NLHF executive director.

This donation, along with $400,000 in funding from the RMWB will bring the campaign to its goal of $16 million. A goal which it announced at the annual Spring Fling Gala in 2016.