Knowing this town's generous reputation, an organizer of the inaugural Sundre Hospital Futures Legacy Gala said he was optimistic that the first event would be successful.
However, the community's support went above and beyond, overwhelming those expectations, said Gerald Ingeveld, the chair of the Sundre Hospital Futures Committee who also MCed the event that was held Saturday, Nov. 12 at the community centre.
“This community is still full of people willing to do what it takes to keep our community safe, prosperous and proud,” he told the crowd.
“We thought we'd start small — see if we could sell a few tickets, round up a few small items for a silent auction,” Ingeveld said, referring to the organizers' efforts for the gala.
But local business owners and residents responded with “small nothing!” and offered a sea of support, he said, adding the contributors who made the evening so successful were too numerous to mention.
When he spoke with the Round Up last week, Ingeveld said organizers had not yet been able to determine how much had been raised, but added the total was at least $15,000. Some of the silent auction items needed an additional bidding sheet — a few even needed a third. Those funds will assist not only the continued efforts to recruit and retain health-care professionals, but also contribute to the future goal of building a new hospital.
Knowing how limited government funding will most likely be during the continued economic slump, he told the crowd of more than 250 that securing a sufficient sum of money for a new multi-million dollar facility would be an uphill struggle.
However, a growing legacy fund will facilitate the community's goal to preserve and maintain the existing hospital as well as begin to forge the path towards a brand new facility, he added.
“I have a lot invested in this community, and so do most you. This hospital is special to me. My daughter took her first breath there; my dad took his last.”
No stranger to the facility himself — having over the years suffered numerous and varied injuries from fractures and stitches to sprains and hyperextended knees — Ingeveld also recalled “that awful day when the jack slipped and my wife got smacked in the head. You might be from the rural Sundre area if you rush your wife into emergency with a feminine absorbent product on her forehead, held in place with a half a roll of vet wrap,” he said, evoking laughter.
Recollecting the existing hospital's history, he talked about the Sundre citizens who half a century ago rallied under a unifying call to build the facility in the community.
“They were aware of the social and economic impacts to a growing community, and knew that their future had to have a hospital in it. The stories of the lengths that these citizens went to to make this happen are epic, and are worthy of a place in our local history.”
Now, history is poised to repeat itself, he said.
“The future of Sundre still needs a hospital in it, but now this once proud building is middle aged and in need of replacement. The future of our hospital is not clear, and once again it's time for action.”
The shift from sitting back and patiently hoping for the best, to proactively taking action was spurred on when Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced last March a premature decision to close down all of the hospital's 15 long-term care beds. The community did not hesitate to rally. The result was the formation of a group — including local citizens, municipal councillors, nurses, doctors and MLA Jason Nixon — who converged on the Alberta legislature, he said.
“From this has come a model of community consultation, and a new cooperative approach that is being used to create local solutions for how to best serve our community. AHS is now using this model in other Alberta communities.”
The hospital futures committee intends to relentlessly pursue its commitment to provide the best health care possible in Sundre, he said.
The committee “reflects this community in that we are a stubborn lot who will not be standing on the sidelines wringing our hands and wishing there was something we could do.”
But even once Sundre succeeds in its effort to build a new hospital, that facility will continue to require professional and dedicated health-care staff, he said.
“The problem is provincewide. This country simply does not graduate enough family physicians who want to work in rural areas,” he said.
“We can't have a hospital — much less a new hospital — without our health- care professionals.”
Hence the ongoing family physician recruitment and retention efforts, which have been successful to date. Funds raised by the committee are allocated largely on three focal points. The first is in regards to recruitment itself. This involves an effort to indentify potential candidates and invite them to visit and tour Sundre, he told the Round Up.
“It's all about first impressions.”
Second, Mountain View County and the Town of Sundre contribute grant funding to provide new medical professionals — especially international doctors who are trying to start their careers and have limited reserves to draw from — with one year of rent in the community to accommodate a smooth transition. And finally, once medical professionals have decided to give Sundre a shot, retention efforts continue through social events like suppers, he said.
“If you are a health-care professional, we need you; we appreciate you.”
