In 2012, the KGH Foundation welcomed a large corporate sponsorship gift of $600,000 – courtesy of TELUS.

Steve Jenkins, a Foundation Board Member as well as General Manager of Interior South BC TELUS, believes this amount could not have been raised without the contributions made by Kelowna’s community, TELUS staff and its customers.

“At TELUS we have a philosophy of contributing back to the community in which we live, work and serve. We have about 140 to160 staff in the greater Kelowna area that truly rallied around the campaign, which allowed us to generate the $600,000 donation,” says Jenkins.

Aside from corporate responsibility, Jenkins’ relations with KGH root deeper.

In the 1980s and 90s, his grandparents were patients of the hospital, suffering from major health problems such as cancer and heart surgery.

“I was pretty empathetic to the whole notion of the Foundation,” says Jenkins.

“The care and the treatment [my grandparents] received through the 80s and 90s was second-to-none. It’s sort of my way to pay it forward, if you will, by being able to contribute to different fundraising opportunities.”

Jenkins goes on to describe several ways that those interested can help to keep donations coming in.

“For people that are mature in their career or who have retired, that have some viable wealth to be able to donate significant lump sums, I would encourage them to look at what can they do within their investment vehicles.

“Maybe there is an opportunity for them to take out a charity owned, or donor owned, life insurance policy which allows them to give a significant legacy back in their later ages.”

With regard to the younger demographic, who may not have the necessary disposable incomes, Jenkins believes they can still make a difference.

“Anything is going to make a difference, whether it’s $25 from an individual or over half a million from a corporation.”

In 2012, the KGH Foundation welcomed a large corporate sponsorship gift of $600,000 – courtesy of TELUS.

Steve Jenkins, a Foundation Board Member as well as General Manager of Interior South BC TELUS, believes this amount could not have been raised without the contributions made by Kelowna’s community, TELUS staff and its customers.

“At TELUS we have a philosophy of contributing back to the community in which we live, work and serve. We have about 140 to160 staff in the greater Kelowna area that truly rallied around the campaign, which allowed us to generate the $600,000 donation,” says Jenkins.

Aside from corporate responsibility, Jenkins’ relations with KGH root deeper.

In the 1980s and 90s, his grandparents were patients of the hospital, suffering from major health problems such as cancer and heart surgery.

“I was pretty empathetic to the whole notion of the Foundation,” says Jenkins.

“The care and the treatment [my grandparents] received through the 80s and 90s was second-to-none. It’s sort of my way to pay it forward, if you will, by being able to contribute to different fundraising opportunities.”

Jenkins goes on to describe several ways that those interested can help to keep donations coming in.

“For people that are mature in their career or who have retired, that have some viable wealth to be able to donate significant lump sums, I would encourage them to look at what can they do within their investment vehicles.

“Maybe there is an opportunity for them to take out a charity owned, or donor owned, life insurance policy which allows them to give a significant legacy back in their later ages.”

With regard to the younger demographic, who may not have the necessary disposable incomes, Jenkins believes they can still make a difference.

“Anything is going to make a difference, whether it’s $25 from an individual or over half a million from a corporation.”

In November 2010, Laurie Anderson found herself at the Kelowna General Hospital being questioned on the recent pain she had been experiencing. 

“Can you walk? Do you have control of all of your bodily functions?” asked Dr. P. Govender.

Anderson was diagnosed with a tumour on her spinal cord, one that was growing daily with a threat of turning her into a paraplegic.

Acting fast, Dr. Govender had Anderson in the operating room four days after diagnosis – the surgery was a success.

“My husband and I now support the KGH Foundation to give back to the medical staff at KGH,” says Anderson.

“Soon after my surgery I said that if I became well enough, I would volunteer my time at KGH as a thank-you for all I had received.”

True to her word, Anderson and her husband Ted now support the KGH Foundation and she has volunteered at the KGH ever since, claiming to had never thought she would have so much fun volunteering at the Hospital’s ‘Perking Lot’.

“Thank-you to Dr. Chayka, Dr. Govender and all the medical staff who literally gave my life back to me. And (thank-you) to Nancy, Sue and all the wonderful volunteers who continue to enrich it.”

Since arriving in April 2012, KGH Health Services Director John Cabral has contributed as a donor to the KGH Foundation as well as volunteered at their Have a Heart Radiothon. "That was a lot of fun to be part of," says Cabral. "To answer phones and hear people and their stories from the KGH, to hear very positive feedback."

Involved with other charities in the past such as the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Cabral sees the KGH Foundation as one that is enabling the community to have a voice in health care and become a hub for specialized health services. "I see a two-fold benefit in the Foundation's work," says Cabral. "One is in terms of the equipment that they have helped to purchase. They have funded very specialized equipment which there otherwise isn't always dollars to pay for."

With access to specialized equipment, Cabral explains that staff often have to get additional training and education to perform specialized procedures, otherwise it could be years before a particular service or procedure is available in the community. "It brings that kind of technology and type of expertise into your community in a much more rapid fashion, as government funding sometimes struggles  to meet all the needs for new equipment," says Cabral.

The other advantage that Cabral sees is the community being given a voice in terms of affecting the kinds of services available at the hospital.  That’s the wonderful thing about having the Foundation involved, it's not just the hospital, it's the community saying: 'You know what, we understand that this is important to us and we're prepared to support it.'

"What I see is a real desire to want to move health care and the services provided in Kelowna General Hospital to the next level. To truly make it a centre of excellence for care."