Story Posted: 2020-05-12
$20M Close to Home Campaign For Hospice Concludes With $1M Capstone Gift
(May 12, 2020 - Saskatoon) – Today St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation received a $1 million gift from Jim and Lisa Yuel and their daughters Neli and Taya.
“We are thrilled to announce that with this remarkable gift, we are now able to effectively mark the completion of the Close to Home Campaign for Hospice and End-of-life Care,” said Foundation CEO Lecina Hicke.
Since the campaign launched in January 2019, SPH Foundation has raised a tremendous $20,954,000 to advance end-of-life care in Saskatchewan, nearly $1 million dollars more than their original $20 million goal.
“We can’t thank our community enough for their remarkable support and their profound generosity,” said SPH Foundation CEO Lecina Hicke. “Thanks to the exceptional support of generous donors like the Yuel family, we will be able to extend our Hospital’s mission to provide accessible, compassionate and timely end-of-life care further into our community.”
“As a family we have had occasion to spend time at the Palliative Care Unit in St. Paul’s Hospital,” said donor Jim Yuel.“The service there is fantastic, and the attention to the patients is unbelievable. However, for patients who might need a longer time in care at end-of-life, a facility like the Hospice at Glengarda would be wonderful. We are very pleased to help contribute to that success.”
Neil Weber, SPH Foundation Board Chair says the Campaign has been built on partnerships and collaboration and specifically thanked Honourary Co-Chairs
Gene and Adele Dupuis, and Campaign Co-Chairs Todd Rosenberg and Dr. Vivian Walker: “These individuals have lent their vision and talents to this Campaign, and have invested countless hours ensuring its success. We simply can’t thank them enough for all they have done.”
Jean Morrison, President and CEO of Emmanuel Health and St. Paul’s Hospital is pleased that all four priorities of the Close to Home Campaign will now be realized: “We have long held a vision to advance end-of-life care, and now, because of the generosity of our community, we have a newly renovated Palliative Care Unit at St. Paul’s Hospital, a Palliative Care Education Fund, endowments that will support the ongoing delivery of holistic care services, and Saskatoon will soon have a hospice to call home – the Hospice at Glengarda.”
SPH Foundation thanked community advocates Gord Engel and Celine Schlosser who came forward to bravely share their stories and advocate for the campaign. “Gord and Celine helped us to foster a critical appreciation for accessible and compassionate end of life care, highlighting the idea that care for those facing end of life extends to family and friends”, said Hicke.
In a moving testimony, Gord Engel’s daughter Mary Engel, joined by her mother Raeleen and siblings Paige, Layne and Jonah thanked the Yuels and the community for their generosity, stating that “My dad cared deeply about the Close To Home Campaign for Hospice. He knew how important it would be for families like ours, families facing end-of-life care. On behalf of my father, and from my family, thank you Saskatchewan!
The Hospice at Glengarda is currently under construction. Located in the 300 block of Hilliard Street in Saskatoon, the new facility is expected to open later this year.
THANK YOU SASKATCHEWAN!