Â鶹ӳ»­

Dawne Bourassa, a longtime employee of Â鶹ӳ»­, is making a big difference in children¡¯s healthcare through her support of the Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital Foundation.

Staffer shares why Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital Foundation matters to her

Written by Amelia Schofield

CALGARY ¡ª For Dawne Bourassa, giving in support of the Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital Foundation is her way of saying ¡®thank you¡¯ to the patients and healthcare providers she sees every day at work.

An Â鶹ӳ»­ (AHS) employee for more than 30 years, she decided to sign up as a monthly donor through payroll deduction during the 16th annual Country 105 Caring for Kids Radiothon this past February.

¡°I thought this year I should do something. I¡¯ve been around so long and felt it was just the right time to do it,¡± she says. ¡°I love the Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital. I work with so many wonderful people. I appreciate the work they do. For me, it¡¯s a happy thing to do. So I thought this year, I should sign up.¡±

Over the three-day Radiothon which takes place every February, hospital employees like Bourassa make many generous donations to the Foundation. This year, staff and physicians contributed nearly $33,000 to the event fundraising total ¡ª all in support of state-of-the-art equipment, ground-breaking research and family-centred programs at Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital.

Bourassa adds that supporting the Foundation is a great way to make a direct impact on patients and families at the Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital.

¡°It definitely makes a difference for patients and families,¡± she says. ¡°They¡¯re very grateful and it just makes you feel good. Every little bit helps.¡±

Many of AHS¡¯ philanthropic partners, like the Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital Foundation, have the ability to sign up employees for donations through payroll deduction.

¡°It¡¯s super simple. You can account for it every time, you know it¡¯s coming out each pay and that it goes to a good cause,¡± adds Bourassa.

If you¡¯re an employee who¡¯s interested in supporting the Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital Foundation, Bourassa suggests you reach out to them.

¡°Talk to the Foundation. They¡¯re always open to donations. It¡¯s easy to do. You can have it taken right off your paycheque,¡± she says. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if what you give is large or small, it¡¯s the thought that counts ¡ª and you know it does go to a good cause.¡±

Find out more about the Â鶹ӳ»­ Children¡¯s Hospital Foundation and how you can .

AHS recognizes May as Health Philanthropy Month. Throughout the month, we¡¯re celebrating the physicians and staff who generously support our foundation partners across Â鶹ӳ»­. See how you can make a difference at ahs.ca/give.