How We Give Grants, Why Your Support is So Important, and a New Way for You to Help
Published Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Message from Dr. Stephen Adams
Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
It's been a whirlwind first month.
Just a week or so after being confirmed as the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation Board of Directors Chair, I attended the Tbaytel Luncheon of Hope. It was my first time back in several years, but it was a moving and inspiring afternoon as always. Dr. Alla Reznik updated us on the latest from Radialis and the past, present, and possible future of breast cancer diagnosis. Jennifer Miller gave an incredibly moving speech about her personal cancer journey.
Jennifer's story reinforces why I'm here. One moment in particular caught me: when her daughter, who was young at the time, was able to talk to her through the intercom during radiation therapy. A moment like that never would have happened if Jennifer travelled to southern Ontario for treatment.
Closer-to-home care makes all the difference to patients facing terrible diseases such as cancer. I mean, who wants to travel out of town for any medical care anyway? But cancer in particular though ravages the soul as much as the body, which makes that support from family and friends so crucial. It underlined for me how important supporting local healthcare really is for all of us.
As I mentioned last month, the granting process that supports care programs like this is one of the most rewarding – and difficult – jobs we do on the Board. Every application we receive, no matter how long, is carefully reviewed and discussed. They are all important and worthy projects. The rewarding part of course is being able to fund those incredible projects. However, the difficult part is that invariably there are more projects than available funds.
Thanks to the success of the Thunder Bay 50/50 Draw and the continued support of donors, we will be able to provide more funding than ever this year. The Health Sciences Foundation will make an announcement next month about this year's project funding including some of the highlights.
I also want to take a moment to mention a brand new event taking place this year: the Resolute Hearts Around the World Charity Auction. Chef Franco Masdea from Tomlin @ The Chanterelle on Park will take us to a different part of the world in each of five courses. Local sommelier Cale Graydon pairs each course with an exquisite wine selection designed to enhance those global flavours even more. While we're enjoying, we can bid on travel packages to each location during the live auction: Switzerland, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Tuscany along with a cruise of your choice.
I hope you can join me on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at Fort William Historical Park for what I'm sure will be an incredible event. Learn more and get tickets (before they're sold out...) here: healthsciencesfoundation.ca/world
- Dr. Stephen Adams