Sudbury's hospital foundations amalgamate into one charitable organization

The Health Sciences North hospital in Sudbury, Ont., now has a single foundation to handle fundraising.

The hospital previously had three foundations that focused on different needs. NEO Kids Foundation was focused on the health-care needs of children in the northeast, the Northern Cancer Foundation was focused on cancer care and the Health Sciences North Foundation handled the hospital's broader fundraising needs.

As of Tuesday, they have been amalgamated into the Health Sciences North Foundation.

"Coming together allows us to become a more effective fundraising organization to help us raise more money to meet the needs of people living in northeastern Ontario," said Anthony Keating, the foundation's president and CEO.

Keating saiddonors will still be able to choose where they want their money to go, whether it's pediatrics, cancer care or cardiology.

Dr. Lacey Pitre, the hospital's chief of oncology, saidhaving just one foundation will save on administrative costs and resources.

"The major change will be allowing more people to focus on fundraising and less on the administrative elements of managing three different foundations."

But Keating saidthe amalgamation will not result in any job losses.

"The health care that we receive here, the level of health care that our children are able to receive here, is only going to get stronger with this amalgamation," said Pamela Therrien, who sits on the Health Sciences North Foundation's board.

Therrien first joined the NEO Kids Foundation Board after her son recovered from a blastomycosis infection.

Blastomycosis is a fungal infection with symptoms similar to pneumonia. It can be fatal if not treated properly.

Therrien saidher son,Lennox, who was six when he became ill, was diagnosed and received most of his care in Sudbury thanks to NEO Kids.

"Having Lennox be able to get the treatment here and being able to stay here, I believe helped Lennox recover," she said.

The amalgamated foundation's main goal will be to support the hospital's ongoing capital master project.

In the last five years, the foundations have secured more than $35 million for capital projects at Health Sciences North.