Sudbury hospital receives historic donation
Monday in Sudbury, Health Sciences North received the single largest donation ever to a northern Ontario hospital.
The Fielding/Perdue family announced it was donating $10 million to the Northern Cancer Foundation for its capital redevelopment.
"Dominic and Anthony did come to us and asked us for help because they want to make sure this care will happen in the future," said Cameron Perdue.
"We have therefore decided as a family to make a special gift to the Northern Cancer Foundation to be used for phase 1 for the capital redevelopment," said Craig Fielding.
The announcement was met with a standing ovation in a room full of hospital executives from across the region.
"We know this is what my mother Shirley, my father Jim and my sister Norrine would have wanted," Fielding said.
"With this donation today, we are hoping that others will come forward to support much-needed expansion to our hospital."
As a part of the historic gift, the hospital announced its cancer centre would be renamed the Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre.
The name Fielding/Perdue is no stranger to many in Sudbury. In many circles, it has been synonymous with Sudbury philanthropy.
"Our province is growing and northern Ontario is what needs to grow the most and unfortunately we don't see a lot of growth," said Perdue, who is Jim and Shirley Fielding's grandson.
"We want to look back on the care that my great-grandfather received, my grandparents received and my mother received here at the hospital. We want to make sure that care continues into the future."
Health Sciences North said it is just beginning its redevelopment plan, a five-stage process it must complete with the Ministry of Health.
HSN President and CEO Dominic Giroux said even still, Monday was a good day.
"It was very moving for us to have the Fielding/Perdue family announce their historic gift (and) to see most of my colleagues from northeastern Ontario hospitals be here as part of the celebration," said Giroux.
"We are at stage 1 of a five-stage capital planning and approval process. We are working closely with the Ministry of Health, with the support from Ontario Health to get to stage 2 planning approval and then every stage, there is obviously more refinement being done to the plans."
The previous record gift to a northern Ontario hospital was a $5-million donation from Marcel and Frances Labelle of Cochrane, which led to the 28,000-square-foot Labelle Innovation and Learning Centre.
Anthony Keating, president of the HSN Foundation, said with the $10-million donation and the $9-million raised through 50/50 ticket sales, they're currently sitting at $19 million.
"So the Fielding and Perdue family have been pillars in the community for so many years," Keating said.
"They have so many connections to Health Sciences North, it's an incredible opportunity for them to give back but also for our community to benefit from their generosity."
Once the expansion is complete, it will enable HSN to sustain reasonable wait times for oncology surgeries in northeastern Ontario and meet the growing inpatient treatment needs of cancer patients.
The Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre already ranks No. 1 among Ontario's 14 regional cancer programs on quality improvement indicators.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Calgary police to release more details on pro-Palestinian protest
Details on arrests, tickets and charges against a number of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at the University of Calgary will be released on Friday, police say,
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.