Cumberland Health Care Foundation

Description

The Cumberland Health Care Foundation has its activity base at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre The foundation is dedicated to high standards of health care for all residents of Cumberland County

What is a quotHospital Foundationquot
Hospitals and other healthcare organizations face tough economic challenges rising costs less government money for programs and capital equipment technological advances the list is endless Hundreds of hospital foundations have been established all across Canada and the US to deal with these challenges The Foundation is the fundraising arm of the hospital and coordinates the support of the community for programs equipment and services not provided with government funds

What did your donation do

Every Foundation is regularly asked how their donation will help This is a honest question any donor to a charity or organization should ask The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is pleased to provide the following detailed listing of the equipment and services funded by donations made to it over the years

MISSION
quotTo enhance the provision of a high standard of health care within Cumberland County by raising funds and supporting new and improved services programs equipment and facilitiesquot

The Foundation may consider funding requests from parties other than the Cumberland Health Authority with the knowledge andor consent of the Cumberland Health Authority

The Foundation can initiate a project or activity toward its mission in collaboration with the Cumberland Health Authority

Persons served in Cumberland County or within Cumberland County include persons from a geographic area outside of Cumberland County which is included in the catchment areas of the Cumberland Health Authority

Vision
quotTo make an increasingly significant contribution to the improvement of health within Cumberland Countyquot

Values
Integrity
firm adherence to a code of ethics The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is committed to acting with courage and consistency in our dealings with our members colleagues and partners within the community

Accountability
an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for ones actions The Cumberland Health Care Foundation will abide by the Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code as put forth by the Canadian Centre on Philanthropy We will respect the donors wishes and the needs of the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre

Respect
high or special regard The Cumberland Health Care Foundation will treat every individual and group the way in which we would wish to be treated

Appreciation
an expression of admiration approval or gratitude The Cumberland Health Care Foundation will acknowledge all contributions of time talent and financial commitment which assist to further our mission

History

History of our hospitals
THEN AND NOW
1903
Following a typhoid outbreak in the Amherst area about the turn of the century a Mr Joe Reeves one of the original councilors of the town of Amherst at its incorporation in 1896 circulated a petition calling for the construction of a hospital Mr R B Dickey donated three acres of land and in 1903 the Highland View Regional Hospital was opened It was given the name of Highland View due to its location high upon the Park Street hill

1930
With a capacity to handle approximately 35 patients that hospital served the Amherst area until the early hours of the morning on a stormy May 24th in 1928 when a fire raced through the building and and destroyed all but the outer brick walls Nurses and patients escaped with their lives their nightclothes and little else to nearby homes fortunately all the documents were saved

The community immediately took steps to recover from the damage of the fire quotBirds Nestquot the home of Louis Bird was converted into a temporary hospital site to handle 16 patients and later an operating room was set up at the Sterns property where another 16 patients could be accommodated Concerned citizens established a fund to provide money for reoutfitting fourteen student nurses and four maids whose clothing and personal effects had been destroyed Within a very few days committees were meeting to form plans for rebuilding the hospital The total loss was estimated at over 100000 and insurance coverage provided something in the order of 80000 Construction of a new hospital was eventually begun and when funds proved insufficient to finish the top floor Cyrus Eaton and his sister who happened to be visiting Amherst at the time donated enough money to finish the building It opened in 1930 and was equipped to handle 65 patients

Nursing Class of 1952
The school of nursing which had been training nurses for nearly forty years closed in 1960 just five years before increasing needs for health care services led to the construction of a new hospital in 1965 one that could accommodate 103 patients The east wing housed the Physiotherapy and Laboratory Departments of Highland View and the Department of Mental Health was also amalgamated with Highland View Regional Hospital In addition the Department of Public Health also had offices in the old hospital building

1965
In 1973 Highland View Hospital was incorporated and at the same time became a regional hospital for Cumberland County A Board of Trustees replaced the former Board of Commissioners but was charged with the same overall responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the hospital Also in 1973 a new Intensive Care Unit was built at a cost of 225000 and at the time of its opening was among the most modern units in Eastern Canada

In 2002 the new Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre CRHCC replaced the Highland View The new hospital is enhancing health care services county wide The new regional hospital is a model of efficiency The centre piece of the building is a twostory atrium running along the central portion of the building with many of the hospitals departments easily accessed It was designed to incorporate as much natural light into the facility as possible Like other buildings under the Cumberland Health Authority The Cumberland Regional Heath Care Centre is entirely smoke free

The brandnew 46 million healthcare centre provides Cumberland County with highquality health care The building which was built around the needs and functions of the staff has the same number of beds but boasts 70 per cent more space Cumberland County is able to provide top of the line health care with the acquisition of several pieces of new equipment through the commitment of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation and the Cumberland Health Care Auxiliary Services provided at the site includes 24hour emergency care surgery internal medicine anesthesia obstetrics general medicine intensive care diagnostic imaging including a CTScan rehabilitative service including physiotherapy and occupational therapy diabetes education laboratory and other related support services