Message from Kyle Shaen
Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
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What a busy month we had in October!
There were so many events in October – more than we can list here. Thank you to everyone who participated as donors or as volunteers. It truly is remarkable how giving the people of Northwestern Ontario are when it comes to health care.
In particular, I’d like to thank all the generous donors who supported the Resolute Save a Heart Ball. This event exceeded expectations, raising over $130,000 for cardiovascular care. That was enough to fully fund two cardioplegia machines, used to stop the heart during cardiac surgery. This is a huge step towards building our cardiovascular surgery program.
This month, we’ll be kicking off our Christmas Wish List fundraiser again on Giving Tuesday, November 27, 2018. To mark the occasion, the Health Sciences Foundation will be holding a 24-Hour Raise-a-Thon with the goal of fully funding one desperately needed item on that list: a defibrillator for the operating room. Your Christmas gift this Giving Tuesday will literally save someone’s life. I invite you to drop by the Main Lobby of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre during office hours to make your donation, or donate online anytime at HealthSciencesFoundation.ca/wishlist. Then, follow us for regular updates that day on social media (links below) and track how close we are to our goal.
November is also Make a Will Month. As a financial planner, I am always recommending to clients that they make or update their Wills. Legacy giving – charitable donations you make in your Will – can be an important part of your Will. Your legacy gift can be a percentage of your estate rather than a fixed sum. Often, people prefer this approach instead of worrying about keeping a certain amount set aside. Either way, making a donation in your Will can have real tax advantages. Visit legacygivingthunderbay.com to find out more about legacy giving, or ask your own financial planner or adviser.
Regardless of your charitable donation plans, November is still a good time to review your Will to ensure your wishes are clear and that it reflects any new events in your life (marriage, new children/grandchildren, and so on).
Thank you once again for your continued support. I hope to see you all on Giving Tuesday in the Main Lobby.
Kyle Shaen
(Follow the Health Sciences Foundation on social media at: facebook.com/healthsciencesfoundation, twitter.com/tbrhsf, and instagram.com/tbrhsf)