Trillium Health Centre Foundation announces $10 million donation

Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre make the largest donation in hospital's history

MISSISSAUGA/WEST TORONTO, ON, Nov. 22 /CNW/ - Today, at the site of Trillium Health Centre's future integrated seniors health and wellness complex, Trillium Health Centre Foundation announced a precedent-setting $10 million gift from the Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre to support Trillium's new seniors' vision.  This represents the largest commitment ever made to the Foundation and its first major donation since embarking on an ambitious multi-year donation drive - Giving 110% - to raise $110 million to fund new facilities, technology and research.

"This gift will benefit seniors in west Toronto and Mississauga for years to come," said Janet Davidson, president and chief executive officer, Trillium Health Centre.  "Too often, patients' concerns are seen in isolation - a sore leg, a heart condition, trouble breathing, memory problems.  We are committed to viewing the patient as a whole; to seeing the entire person, and working with seniors to ensure that they receive not just the acute care that they need for specific health issues, but also the follow-up treatment and services to help them stay out of the hospital, and live independent, active lives in the community."

In addition to Trillium's ambulatory care and day surgery programs at its West Toronto location, the organization will create a state-of-the-art integrated seniors complex. For seniors living at home, the complex will feature expanded medical clinics and outpatient services. For seniors who are no longer able to remain at home, the complex will feature a retirement residence, supportive housing, and long-term care facilities, allowing them to age in place.

"We see ourselves as a centre for applied clinical research, looking at how to put the knowledge gained about the aging process into practice from the home through assisted living types of housing to an acute care hospital," explained Davidson.  "To that end, we have established the Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre Research Chair for Seniors." 

"The Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre are philanthropic leaders and long-term supporters of Trillium, having donated more than $9 million since 1997 to fund some of the hospital's most pressing needs," said Steve Hoscheit, president and chief executive officer, Trillium Health Centre Foundation.   "We are honoured to have them as our inaugural donors to the Giving 110% campaign."

"For more than 13 years, as volunteers, we have had the privilege of supporting the work of the hospital," said Marianne Di Lullo, President, Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre. "Access to world-class care in our own community is important to all of us. As individuals, we can't necessarily make major donations to the cause on our own.  However,as an organization, the Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre are able to leverage our retail operations, property management strategies and countless hours of volunteer time to make a significant contribution to seniors' health and wellness in our community." 

Giving 110% is a multi-year donation campaign that celebrates Trillium's staff, physicians and volunteers who already go above and beyond to deliver inspired health care. It also commemorates the generous commitment of our donors, and challenges the community to go the distance to support Trillium's commitment to innovation. The $110 million will fund new facilities, technology and research and be directed hospital-wide to priority patient care areas including cardiac, neurosciences, seniors, women and children, and mental health services.

About the Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre
Established in 1997, the Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre is a non-profit organization that has raised more than $9.2 million in support of Trillium Health Centre. Under the direction of a volunteer board, the Volunteers of Trillium Health Centre generate funds through numerous business ventures, including property management services, retail operations (three Tim Hortons franchises, two gift shops, a vendor's program), lotteries and community-based fundraising events.

About Trillium Health Centre and Trillium Health Centre Foundation
Trillium Health Centre is one of Canada's largest academically-affiliated hospitals providing quality and safe care to more than one million residents in Mississauga, southwest Toronto and the surrounding areas. Trillium is a 774-bed regional referral centre with highly-specialized, complex programs in advanced cardiac, vascular, stroke, neurosciences, orthopaedic, and sexual assault/domestic violence services. Trillium's $450 million annual budget supports the 4,200 staff, 748 physicians and 1,100 volunteers who care for the 762,000 patients who visit each year.

Trillium - Mississauga has an Emergency Department, inpatient units and surgical centre while an Urgent Care Centre, day surgery and other outpatient programs are located at Trillium - West Toronto. Trillium Health Centre Foundation, the health centre's fundraising arm, inspires the community to invest in the hospital. Trillium is recognized by Accreditation Canada, National Quality Institute and Ontario Health Quality Council for providing safe, high-quality health care and leadership in a healthy workplace. 

For more information, go to www.trilliumhealthcentre.org or www.trilliumgiving.ca.

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For further information:

Media Contact:
Larry Roberts
Media Relations Consultant
Trillium Health Centre
Office: 905-848-7580 ext. 3832
Mobile: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]