Message from Kyle Shaen
Published Monday, June 29, 2020
Kyle Shaen, Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
Have you wondered how big of an impact COVID has had on the future of our healthcare?
Many people like you over the last few months have asked me that. The answer is simple – and tragic: the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation won’t be able to continue supporting the level of healthcare our patients deserve without tremendous help from our donors. Here’s why.
We had to postpone our long-running Tbaytel Motorcycle Ride for Dad altogether until next year. In 2019, the event raised over $76,000 to purchase an ultrasound unit needed for prostate brachytherapy – a new type of radiation therapy that's now available in Thunder Bay. Without ultrasound, this cutting-edge treatment wouldn’t be available.
This year’s The Co-operators Bachelors for Hope Charity Auction is another example. Luckily, our event committee was able to shift the event online. I applaud their creativity and dedication, and in the end, the event raised over $21,000 for breast cancer care. But compare that to last year’s $90,000, and COVID’s devastating impact becomes clearer.
As one event committee member put it, breast cancer doesn’t stop for COVID-19. I would say that it’s true for every area of healthcare including cancer, cardiac disease, kidney disease, surgery, and paediatrics. None of our patients’ healthcare needs stop for COVID.
And we can’t stop either.
So far this year we have lost $150,000 from two events alone due to COVID. As you can imagine, this shortfall will seriously affect our patients when we can’t replace aging equipment or we have to postpone new life-saving treatments because we simply can’t afford them. My fear is that without that funding, we could lose lives to COVID indirectly and reduce the level of care for thousands of others.
We need your help and your donations now more than ever to stop that from happening.
If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how important it is to have timely access to healthcare for all patients. You’ve seen some generous hearts come through in our greatest time of need. And, you’ve seen how COVID has ravaged lives. Let’s not let it ruin even more.
Please, give whatever you can today. You can say no to COVID, and say yes to better healthcare.
Today more than ever, we need your help to stay Together, for Better.