SPRING / SUMMER 2017 PEACE ARCH HOSPITAL FOUNDATION PEACE ARCH HOSPITAL IS BREATHING EASIER THANKS TO TB VETS LE CIRQUE DU SOIRÉE BRINGS A SPECTACULAR NIGHT CIRCUS TO WHITE ROCK HOMELIFE BENCHMARK REALTY GIVES BACK IN A BIG WAY THE 2016/2017 DONOR LIST EVAN BIRD + PAUL FARRANT MEET Two White Rock firefighters fueling a dream for a community playground LEADING THE WAY WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST EDITION OF thrive! Welcome to summer! After a wet and chilly spring, Mother Nature has finally smiled down upon the Peninsula. With all of this great weather, there is no better time to get outside and enjoy some fun activity. With this in mind, we are thrilled to tell you about a brand new all-abilities and all-ages playground currently in development for Centennial Park. This is being built in collaboration with the City of White Rock and White Rock Firefighters, who have been championing an all-abilities park on East Beach since 2009. This project is the first for our Healthy Community initiative and is in keeping with the Foundation’s strategic goal to support projects and programs that effect change in health and wellness upstream. As the first phase of a three-phase plan that also includes a trail down to the waterfront that will eventually link to the proposed park on East Beach, we couldn’t be more excited for these innovative new ways for the whole family to be active in our community. Learn more about the new playground and how White Rock firefighter Evan Bird’s original vision inspired us to take action on page 6. We would also be remiss if we didn’t mention the monumental success of our ER campaign that wrapped in February, and how a matching gift from Dave and Rani Mann inspired the entire community to come together to fund the new emergency department in full. Read more about the extraordinary philanthropy of the Mann family on page 9. Finally, we are thrilled to announce that we raised a record-breaking $480,000 for a new hospice residence at this year’s Peace Arch Hospital Gala, Le Cirque du Soirée! It was a breathtaking night under the big top complete with wine fairies, fire dancers, acrobats, candy floss and mini donuts. See some of the evening’s photos on page 10. We hope you enjoy this issue of Thrive! Siobhan Philips Stephanie Beck 2 thrive 15521 Russell Avenue White Rock, BC V4B 2R4 T 604.535.4520 peacearchfoundation pahfoundation www.pahfoundation.ca 2017-2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPRING / SUMMER 2017 Siobhan Philips – Chair CONTENTS Geoff Funke – 1st Vice-Chair Janice Stasiuk – 2nd Vice-Chair Art Reitmayer – Past Chair Peter Donaldson – Treasurer/Secretary Stephanie Beck – Foundation Executive OUR THRIVING RAISING Director 4 COMMUNITY 10 FUNDS Marco Buccini Sport for Life brings physical The Peace Arch Hospital Graham Cameron literacy program to White Gala breaks a fundraising Brent Ellwyn Rock and South Surrey. record with Le Cirque du Jaye-Lynn Gooch Soirée. Jerrod Hendry Harp S. Hoonjan Kim Karras DONOR SAVE THE Al Schill 5 12 Grant Turnbull PROFILE DATE TB Vets makes breathing The 11th Annual Great APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES easier with the gift of a new Pumpkin Run Walk is back October 22. Teresa O’Callaghan – Fraser Health mechanical ventilator for Peace Arch Hospital. Authority/Peace Arch Hospital Dr. Robert Cheyne – PAH Medical Lynne Sinclair – City of White Rock Megan Knight – City of White Rock Alternate Vera LeFranc – City of Surrey FEATURE FINANCIAL Mary Martin – City of Surrey Alternate 6 STORY 15 REPORT White Rock firefighters fuel An overview of the HONOURARY BOARD MEMBERS a passion project for an all- Foundation’s 2016/2017 Bob Cooper abilities playground. fiscal year. Ellen Kennett Jane Manning Dragana Sanderson COMMUNITY THANK YOU 9 IMPACT 16 TO OUR Dave and Rani Mann bring the ER campaign to a successful DONORS close. The 2016/2017 donor listing. Published by: Contributors: Peace Arch Hospital Foundation Amy O’Leary + Managing Editor + Writer: Trevor Whyte Vicki Brydon Graphic Design: Director, Public Relations Kennedy Anderson Creative Group SPRING / SUMMER 2017 3 OUR THRIVING COMMUNITY BRINGING PHYSICAL LITERACY FOR LIFE TO WHITE ROCK + SOUTH SURREY Part of Peace Arch Hospital Foundation’s mandate is to support programs and initiatives that align with our vision to make our community the healthiest possible. With that in mind, the Foundation has partnered with Sport for Life, an organization that strives to improve the health and lives of all Canadians by offering Physical Literacy programming and increasing the likelihood of Canadians staying active for life. What is Physical Literacy? Next Steps Physical Literacy is the motivation, confidence, In the coming months, Sport for Life will establish physical competence, knowledge and understanding community leaders to drive the program and begin to value and take responsibility for engagement in the process of teaching children, youth, adults and physical activities for life. Just like learning to read or seniors in White Rock and South Surrey how to have write is essential to our success in the world, becoming improved confidence, competence and motivation to physically literate is critical to ensuring life-long health be physically active. and wellness. If we want children to be active for life, they need to develop physical literacy at a young age so they have the skills, confidence and drive to make choices that engage them in physical activity A physically, socially, intellectually, and recreation that enhances their physical and psychological wellness. mentally and emotionally healthy child BECOMES a physically, The next generation is at risk of a shorter life span than their parents due to poor physical, mental and socially, intellectually, mentally social health. Sport for Life is on a mission to change and emotionally healthy adult. that by aligning with communities to advance the development of physical literacy with education, training and mentoring. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months! 4 thrive DONORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE ✚ TB Vets: Saving lives one patient at a time By Trevor Whyte, RRT In my 11 years as a Respiratory Therapist, I have been a part of the best and worst moments of a patient’s life. Whether helping a newborn baby take its first breath or supporting someone at the end of their life to take their last breath with dignity and without discomfort, I have learned there are few certainties in life and health care must be prepared for that. The support of TB Vets makes my job that much easier with their gift of critically- needed state-of-the–art respiratory equipment. If an organ is sick enough it can Recently TB Vets purchased a new affect the lungs and if the lungs are transport mechanical ventilator for sick enough, it can affect any organ Peace Arch Hospital’s Respiratory in the body; if you can’t breathe, Therapy program. This new you can’t live. As passionate as I am ventilator is more powerful, has about my work, I am also limited by better monitoring so we can make the capabilities of the equipment safer choices and is substantially available to me. The correct tools superior for use with children. This is for the task at hand are essential not a ‘nice to have’ item, but rather for a positive outcome. a crucial tool for the job required. With this mechanical ventilator, TB Vets has made a huge impact that has no doubt saved lives. The support of TB The work I do as Respiratory Vets makes my job Therapist is made easier knowing that organizations like TB Vets will that much easier support me to have the tools to with their gift of give my patients the best chance possible. It’s comforting to know critically-needed that they are standing alongside state-of-the – me on the front lines of health care, saving lives one patient at a time. art respiratory equipment. Thank you TB Vets! SPRING / SUMMER 2017 5 ✚ FEATURE STORY WHITE ROCK FIREFIGHTERS DREAM BIG FOR A I took a special interest in COMMUNITY PARK this project particularly because my father-in- law was diagnosed with When White Rock firefighter Evan In 2009, Evan set out to change Bird took his two daughters camping that with a new passion project ALS and now uses a in the States each summer, one in mind – to fundraise and build motorized wheelchair. thing really stood out to him. Every an all-ages, all-abilities park in spot they went to had an accessible the same spot where he grew – Paul Farrant and interactive playground right up playing, right on East Beach. on the beach. Upon returning to He pictured a playground full White Rock he would take walks of interesting and accessible near his East Beach home, and think structures, lots of seating that faced how wonderful it would be to build the ocean and a new gathering One of Evan’s colleagues, firefighter something similar for his community. place for the whole community. Paul Farrant, got involved when he began leading the White Rock “When my girls were younger, they That passion was contagious and Firefighters Charity Association. played down at East Beach when it soon his mom, Myra Merkal, was used to be a park,” Evan said. “It was on board, creating a Princess Party “I’ve always been very involved a great gathering place for families with co-organizer Alyssa Nielsen, in charity work,” Paul said. “I took with kids of all ages and the perfect as a fundraiser for the park. In 2010, a special interest in this project spot to connect with friends and the first Princess Party took place particularly because my father-in- neighbours over a cup of coffee while attracting a handful of kids dressed law was diagnosed with ALS and the kids ran around.