Category: News

Wow! It’s hard to believe that nearly a year has passed since I first took on the role of President & CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation.

And what a year it’s been!

As I reflect on the last 12 months, two words immediately come to mind: passion and pride.

Wearing my new hat, I’ve had the chance to see and hear things in a new way. I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity. What I have always known, but is now clearer to me than ever, is just how passionate our community is about ensuring we have excellent healthcare available right here in Burlington.

Every gift we receive from our donors, every hour given by our volunteers, and every member of our care team that I am privileged to interact with shares a common thread – they demonstrate steadfast dedication to helping one another. I feel honoured to see this firsthand every day and to have the opportunity to get to know so many incredible people who are deeply passionate about helping our hospital be its very best.

I’ve also been able to chat with so many members of our community, and it’s been heartwarming and inspiring to hear the many, many stories of how our hospital has changed their lives.

From the beauty of the birth of a baby to a scary touch-and-go night spent in the Emergency Department, and to the hopeful ring of a bell to celebrate the end of cancer treatment to the gentle and dignified goodbye to a beloved parent, our hospital is here through it all. Each story I hear is different, but each story is told with a deep sense of pride and gratitude for the incredible physicians, nurses, and care teams who are here, day in and day out when our community needs them the most.

I always knew that our hospital was a special place, filled with special people who have the resources they need thanks in large part to the special community that supports healthcare close to home. My first year as President & CEO of JBHF has cemented this belief.

I feel more fortunate than ever to lead our outstanding Foundation team, working with our incredible Board and Hospital partner. I am inspired, energized and deeply resolved to reach new heights in our ability to inspire the passion and pride of our great community to advance healthcare in new and innovative ways. In many ways, it feels like we’re just getting started, and I could not be more excited for what’s to come.

We are pleased to share our 2024 Annual Donor Report, which highlights a few of the patient care moments and program successes at Joseph Brant Hospital over the past year.

These stories showcase how the lives of our patients and their families are directly impacted by the generosity of our donors, as well as stories of incredible ways our community came together this year in support of our hospital.

We hope these stories fill you with a sense of pride and accomplishment, for all you have made possible with your support.

The Chairmen Family Foundation, a private, Burlington-based charitable Foundation, has made a transformational gift of $3.5M to the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation’s For All Minds Campaign in support of the redevelopment and expansion of the Mental Health & Addictions Unit at Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH).

“Our family has long believed in the importance of having access to high-quality mental health and addictions care, right here in our community,” said a representative of the Chairmen Family Foundation. “We are proud to support this important initiative at Joseph Brant Hospital, a leader in community-based mental health and addictions care, and hope this gift inspires others to contribute in their own way.”

This gift is another step forward in the journey to redevelop JBH’s Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) program space to create therapeutic facilities that ensure a dignified, respectful, person-centred experience. The Government of Ontario approved the project in November 2024 and will make a significant impact on those who require timely and high-quality mental health and addictions care.

Mental illness affects all Canadians at some time either through their own experience, or that of a family member, friend or colleague. In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health illness, and by age 40, about 50% of the population will have had or be living with a mental illness.

The three core elements of the redevelopment project include a relocation and expansion of the Inpatient Mental Health and Addictions Unit with the addition of a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), a relocation of some of the Outpatient Mental Health Unit, and the addition of a new Child and Youth Mental Health Day Hospital.

“We are truly honoured and immensely grateful to have received this gift which will make a tremendous difference for our patients and their families,” said Ashley Davidson, Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation President & CEO. “This generous support will help us build state-of-the-art facilities, and provide faster and more accessible care in a comfortable setting, close to home.”

The For All Minds Campaign is committed to raising $20M in support of this essential project.

“This campaign will support JBH with achieving its vision to build a modern, person-centred facility that is purposefully designed to instill hope and support healing,” said Leon Denbok and Phil Davidson, Co-Chairs of the For All Minds Campaign Cabinet. “We are so grateful to the Chairmen Family Foundation, and all the donors to the For All Minds Campaign, for helping to ensure the safest and most dignified care will be available to patients.”

Click here to learn more information about the For All Minds Campaign.

On November 25th, Premier Doug Ford was at Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH) to announce the Province’s investment in the new Michael and Laura Paletta Mental Health and Addictions Unit. This redeveloped and expanded space will support our team in providing timely and high-quality mental health and addictions care for Burlington and our surrounding communities.

The new unit will make it faster and easier for people in the Burlington region to connect to high-quality, comprehensive mental health and addiction support services closer to home. The unit will include:

• A new adult outpatient space better suited to improve clinical flow and patient care;
• Improved adult psychiatric intensive care space allowing for better patient-centred care and safety;
• Interdisciplinary teams of nurses, physicians, social workers, psychiatrists and recreational therapists to support complex patient care needs and provide crisis intervention, psychiatric assessment, treatment and stabilization;
• Enhanced child and youth programming including a new Child and Youth Mental Health Day Hospital.

A construction schedule will be confirmed once planning is complete and the project is tendered and awarded, with an early works project slated to begin in Spring 2025.

To learn more about the new Michael and Laura Paletta Mental Health and Addictions Unit, please visit forallminds.ca.

This spring and summer we’re visiting neighbourhoods across Burlington to invite you to join our Community of Care Monthly Giving Program.  The ongoing support from our monthly donors makes a tremendous difference in the lives of JBH’s patients and their families.  Monthly donors help raise funds for the hospital’s most urgent needs, including vital equipment and technology that is used everyday throughout the hospital to save lives but is not covered by government funding.

We are partnering with  Globalfaces, one of Canada’s largest door-to-door fundraising services, for this campaign beginning June 10^th, 2024.  Globalfaces uses a team of professionals, who go through a rigorous training program so that they are well-informed about Joseph Brant Hospital and our programs, as well as our statement of purpose and values. We trust Globalfaces, and we hope our community will too.

FAQs

How do I know if the Fundraiser at the door is really from Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation?

All of our fundraising representatives will be wearing Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation apparel and a lanyard with an identification badge.  

If you receive a follow-up call from GlobalFaces’ contact centre, the call will come from one of the following numbers: 647-943-2827 or 1-833-467-0237. These numbers also appear on the canvassers’ ID badges.

Do you accept cash or cheques at the door?

Our fundraisers will never ask for, or accept cash or cheques at the door.

Is it safe to give my banking information or credit card?

Our fundraisers use tablets with encrypted software to collect payment information in a secure way. All fundraisers follow PCI-compliant procedures to ensure your information remains confidential and safe.

If someone is interested in making a one-time gift they will be given an email link to our secure donation page or they can go online at https://jbhfoundation.ca/ways-to-give/gifts/. 

What happens once I sign up?

You will receive an email confirmation shortly after registering. If you choose to donate by credit card or direct debit, your first gift will be processed at the door and then you will be advised by your fundraising representative of your monthly withdrawal date going forward.

New monthly donors will also receive an electronic or mailed version of our monthly welcome package (Depending on if an email address is provided at the time of signing up). Please check your spam folder in case the email lands outside of your inbox.

If you have any questions about your donation please contact Victoria Martynenko, Coordinator, Development at 905.632.3730 Ext. 5805 or vmartynenko@josephbranthospital.ca.

What if I want to cancel or change my monthly giving details?

You can decrease, upgrade or cancel your monthly gift at any time by calling Tracy at 905-632-3737 ext 6500 or by email at foundation@josephbranthospital.ca.

When will I receive my tax receipt?

Annual consolidated tax receipts for the current year will be issued in February of the following year. Tax receipts will be sent by regular mail.  If you would prefer to receive your tax receipt by email please let us know by calling Tracy at 905-632-3737 ext 6500 or by email at foundation@josephbranthospital.ca.

We sat down with our new President & CEO, Ashley Davidson, to hear her thoughts on healthcare, the importance of supporting community healthcare and more.

Here’s what she had to share:

Why is healthcare important to you?
To me, there is nothing more important than health – the health of our loved ones, friends and neighbours, and our own health and that of our entire community. When I think about my own life, many of my most meaningful and life-changing experiences, both positive and challenging, have centred on healthcare: the joy of the birth of a child, the anxiety and fear of a new diagnosis or the overwhelming sense of gratitude for lifesaving care and the hope it brings.

Healthcare is at the foundation of a vibrant and thriving community. I want everyone to have access to the very best healthcare, close to home and close to those they love and care about.

What are your goals and your vision for the Foundation?
JBHF exists to help our hospital thrive for the benefit of the health and wellbeing of our community. The last decade has seen tremendous growth for our Foundation, and I am excited to find new and innovative ways to engage our whole community, build upon our successes to date and lead the team to live our mission to inspire generosity and ensure the hospital has the support to be its very best.

What are the challenges your community is facing? How can we help to face these challenges? 
Our community is in the midst of a mental health epidemic. Each year, the demand for mental health and addictions care at our hospital grows exponentially.

In January, we announced a remarkable $5M gift from Michael and Laura Paletta in support of the For All Minds Campaign to transform mental health and addictions (MHA) care at our hospital. This gift is an incredible catalyst towards our goal of raising the critical funds needed for the redevelopment of our mental health and addictions facilities, a project which is long overdue.

Our MHA teams provide unparalleled excellence in care, however, the facilities in which they provide that care are antiquated and not in keeping with modern standards. Our goal is to build therapeutic facilities designed to ensure dignity and respectful, person-centred care which support recovery and improve outcomes for every patient group we serve.

By coming together, we can enable a brighter future of mental health and addictions care for our community.

What is the best advice someone has given you?
Growing up, my mum often reminded me of the Golden Rule. You really can’t go wrong when you start from a place of treating others with respect, kindness and fairness.  

What gets you up in the morning? What motivates you? 
Every day I am inspired by the incredible generosity of our donors and their steadfast dedication to helping ensure our community has the very best healthcare, close to home.

I have seen firsthand all that can be made possible when vision and investment intersect, and to me, that is incredibly motivating.

I feel so fortunate to work alongside truly exceptional people – from our Foundation team, to our volunteers and donors, to the outstanding leaders, physicians, nurses and all the frontline team members who work tirelessly everyday to care for our community. The entire JBH team is incredibly dedicated to their pursuit to provide the very best care, but they can’t do it alone.  Community support is essential to ensuring our teams can deliver exemplary care in state-of-the-art facilities, with innovative tools and technology. Together, we can be our best, and that is very motivating to me.

What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I like to spend time with family and friends, walk my dog, Burnsy (a Whippet and the world’s fastest couch potato), play soccer with the BWRSL, and just recently I have taken up yoga again.