{"id":309244,"date":"2025-11-27T01:22:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T01:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/309244\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T01:22:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T01:22:22","slug":"fundraiser-puts-wawa-hospital-closer-to-landing-new-beds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/309244\/","title":{"rendered":"Fundraiser puts Wawa hospital closer to landing new beds"},"content":{"rendered":"

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News<\/a>Local News<\/a><\/p>\n

Gala raised nearly $24K; overall $150K campaign for 10 beds \u2018just shy\u2019 of $100K<\/p>\n

Published Nov 25, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0day ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 2 minute read<\/p>\n

\"WawaSusan Switzer, Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation chairperson, Julila Hemphill, Austin Hemphill, general manager, Island Gold District, Alamos Gold Inc., and Lady Dunn Health Centre CEO Kadean Ogilvie, enjoy Glam for Good Gala in Wawa earlier this month. Ella LeadbetterArticle content<\/p>\n

Lady Dunn Health Centre<\/a> is\u00a0closer to\u00a0boosting\u00a0bed numbers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Its second annual Glam for Good Gala, held in Wawa Nov. 8, yielded more than\u00a0fine food, friendly banter and even some daring dancing. The event whipped up a little over $23,000 toward its $24,000 goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cSo\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0pretty close,\u201d said Susan Switzer,\u00a0Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation<\/a> chairperson.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The foundation\u2019s principal goal\u00a0this\u00a0time\u00a0is $150,000 for 10 new\u00a0hospital\u00a0beds for the Wawa facility,\u00a0which also serves the surrounding communities of White River, Hawk Junction,\u00a0Missanabie\u00a0and\u00a0Dubreuilville, with a catchment area of just over 4,300.<\/p>\n

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The campaign is \u201cjust shy\u201d of $100,000, Switzer said. Officials hope to top that up over the holidays. Giving Tuesday begins Dec. 2, and the annual Wish Campaign kicks off Dec. 5. Donors can put a star, or have a star placed, on the Wish Tree,\u00a0located\u00a0in the\u00a0hospital\u00a0lobby.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery act of generosity counts towards giving back,\u201d Switzer told The Sault Star in a phone interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a religious thing or a holiday thing, it\u2019s just hoping for the best health care we can get and supporting that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Since incorporating in 2009, the foundation has raised more than $1 million to\u00a0maintain, upgrade and purchase, capital equipment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

While operational funding mostly comes from the Ontario government, it is expected that hospitals and local communities\u00a0be responsible for\u00a0necessary capital expenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The foundation, which now has a full-time\u00a0co-ordinator, saw its first campaign raise $5,000 toward a medication cart. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Funds are raised via a variety of events and forms of donations, including raffles, golf tournaments, galas, wine tasting events, trivia nights and high teas.\u00a0Giving\u00a0Tuesday also\u00a0assists, as do monthly donations and in-memory gifts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Practicality\u00a0ranks\u00a0up there with\u00a0generosity in\u00a0explaining the foundation\u2019s\u00a0success.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople don\u2019t like travelling to Sault Ste. Marie (for health care) \u2026 it\u2019s two and a half hours,\u201d Switzer said with a laugh. \u201cIt\u2019s really considered a regional hospital.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lady Dunn Health Centre includes 10 acute care, two respite and 16 long-term care beds and operates a 24-hour emergency department, staffed by a registered nurse and an on-call physician. It also provides a surgical program, diagnostic and therapeutic services, telehealth and a nurse practitioner program.<\/p>\n

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The facility is also a major employer in this relatively isolated community, some 230 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we lose the hospital, there\u2019s direct jobs that are lost but also a lot of peripheral jobs,\u201d Switzer said.\u00a0\u201cPeople who supply things for the hospital, right down to snow plowing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Expanding industrial concerns in the region have been a boon. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Alamos Gold<\/a>,\u00a0housed\u00a0some\u00a080\u00a0kilometres\u00a0northeast of Wawa, near\u00a0Dubreuilville, has been\u00a0a\u00a0chief supporter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working hand-in-hand with them to see how we can sustain the services that we have and also expand them,\u201d Switzer said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

jougler@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n

On X: @JeffreyOugler<\/p>\n

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