Whitby Hospital volunteers honoured with Local Health Care Hero Award

Lakeridge Health Whitby’s Hospital Volunteer Services, which celebrated 50 years of service to the hospital last July, was honoured Thursday as the recipient of the 2022/2023 Local Health Care Hero Award at Lakeridge Health’s annual general meeting.

The last donation of the group, which handed in their uniforms for the last time last summer, made their last donation count: a $54,000-plus gift to the Lakeridge Health Foundation to help fund a mobile portable X-ray unit at the Whitby site. Over the last 50 years, Whitby Hospital Volunteer Services has donated more than $700,000 to local health care.

“On behalf of Lakeridge Health, I applaud, congratulate, and thank each and every member of Whitby Hospital Volunteer Services for their collective 50 years of service,” said Lakeridge Health CEO Cynthia Davis. “Lakeridge Health has been incredibly fortunate to have this tremendous team of volunteers who have made a significant difference in patients’ lives. We will sincerely miss this group of dedicated, compassionate, and committed individuals. Their steadfast support of the Whitby Hospital is a shining example of their devotion to patient care and a person-centred experience.”

Introduced in 2017/2018, the Local Health Care Hero Award recognizes individuals or groups of individuals, who are dedicated and committed to supporting, promoting, and raising awareness of the health-care needs of the communities served. The award promotes the organization’s vision – One System. Best Health – of a strong and integrated health system.