$150,000 from Donors, Bill and Colleen Kohnstra Support Health and Wellness
This item was previously published in Guelph Today.
news release
Guelph General Hospital Foundation
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The Guelph General Hospital Foundation is pleased to announce a generous gift of $150,000 from longtime donors Bill and Colleen Kohnstra to establish the Bill and Colleen Kohnstra Health and Wellness Fund. I'm happy to announce this.
This fund is designed to support programs and activities that promote, support or promote the mental health and well-being of hospital staff.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill and Colleen, like many of us, are struggling with our overall mental health, including nurses, doctors, and other hospital staff. , and were well aware that they were risking their lives for the greater good. .
While the Kuernstras are encouraged by recent efforts to reduce the stigma around mental health in general, they feel there is more work to be done, especially when it comes to caregivers themselves, who are less likely to seek out support.
Typically very private when it comes to their donations, Bill and Colleen are helping to foster an open dialogue about mental health by making their donations public and to address the special challenges healthcare workers have faced during and after the pandemic. We understand that it can help shed light on important issues.
“Nurses, doctors and staff at Guelph General Hospital face unique pressures and challenges. Recognizing that, we are committed to providing programs for healthcare workers to seek help and benefit GGH staff. We wanted to create a fund that would help remove the stigma.
With the creation of this new fund, which will be disbursed over three years, the Kornstras envision helping GGH foster a culture of openness regarding mental health and the importance of mental health in the hospital. Specifically, the funds will be used to support programs and wellness services.
Two of the early initiatives were made possible through the new Bill and Colleen Kohnstra Health and Wellness Fund, supporting Staff Chair Massage Day and Mission Nutrition.
On Chair Massage Day, our staff will provide a 15-minute mini-break massage on-site. The popular program sold out immediately after it was announced.
Mission Nutrition is a weekly initiative that provides subsidized healthy meals to encourage staff to practice self-care and take time to refuel and recharge before returning to their shifts.
Karen Suk Patrick, vice president of people, culture and community, said: “This donation comes at a critical time for our hard-working team at Guelph General Hospital and aligns very well with our goal of investing in our team. As a first step, we are committed to ensuring that our staff and physicians We listen to what kind of support you want. It's mainly about low-cost, nutritious meals and on-site physical and stress relief provided by a simple chair massage. It was an option. In the coming months, thanks to the support of the Kornstras, we will be rolling out additional programs to promote the health of our staff.”
Julie Byczynski, CEO of Guelph General Hospital Foundation, said: Our community is extremely fortunate to have donors like Bill and Colleen who want to impact the health of their healthcare providers and are willing to step outside the box. This donation is a first for the community. This will help our hospital invest in its most valuable resource: his GGH staff and physicians. ”
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