Norfolk General Hospital's $11 Million Fundraising Campaign

Reporter: Ron Baker

August 24, 2015

Simcoe Rotarians Give NGH $13 Million Renovation Project a Sympathetic Hearing

At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Simcoe, Norfolk General Hospital President and CEO, Kelly Isfan, gave her fellow Simcoe Rotarians and guests a well illustrated presentation of the needs and benefits to Norfolk of modern hospital facilities. These are essential to raise the level of quality service to the best practices of the 21st Century.

Accompanied by Brad Allender, NGH Capital Campaign Co-Chair; Ms. Isfan presented many examples of how changes in hospital standards of care have occurred since the 1990’s.

"Our facilities for surgical and birthing care were up to date when they were built over 20 years ago; now they are in need of a major renovation to keep our Norfolk population properly served," Isfan noted. NGH should be able to provide standards of care that, too often, are only available in larger, distant communities such as Brantford, Hamilton and London. While the medical equipment and the clinicians at NGH are first-rate, the physical environment is out dated, and makes a poor first impression. This had led to a decline in obstetrics market share at NGH, as pregnant women may choose other hospitals that look more inviting and modern. Norfolk physicians and nursing staff have to make do with out of date, cumbersome, cluttered old facilities.

Simcoe Rotarians have given NGH appeals a highly sympathetic reception and placed them as a top priority for the club’s community service efforts in 2015 -2106. As the total needs for this essential renewal are estimated at $13 million, with Norfolk County Council requested to contribute $5 Million; volunteer fund raising efforts have accelerated. To date, these have been most encouraging, according to Brad Allender.