Moose Jaw Health Foundation Fills the Calendar with Fundraising Events
The Moose Jaw Health Foundation has made it their mission to aid and enhance the quality of health care services available to patients here in Moose Jaw, and the charitable organization never disappoints. Founded in 1986, the Health Foundation has been raising funds to enhance the health care capabilities of providers by working in partnership with local donors and hosting an array of community events. Over the years, the Health Foundation has raised over $38 million for the local hospital here in Moose Jaw — both the now-demolished Moose Jaw Union Hospital and the current Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital, the Foundation’s current home. All of the funds raised stay here in Moose Jaw and are used in a number of ways, including the purchase of new state-of-the-art medical equipment, providing continued education for healthcare professionals, supporting healthfocused community programs, and assisting in future recruitment of health care professionals. This year’s fundraising campaign, Mammography Matters, is focusing on purchasing new digital mammography equipment that will help with the early detection of breast cancer in patients. To help support their fundraising campaign each year, the Health Foundation hosts a number of annual, beloved events for the community. The annual Festival of Trees gala takes place each year in November and features an incredible display of decorated holiday trees and a glamorous evening auction in support of the foundation. The event is topped off with the Festival Family Brunch the following morning. In the spring, the Foundation hosts the Little Princess Ball for the
the Crescent Park Amphitheatre from June to August.
Members of 800 CHAB and the Moose Jaw Health Foundation gather with the cheque for the final total from the 2019 Family First Radiothon. (photo by Randy Palmer) Business owners always go all out when decorating their holiday tree displays for the Festival of Trees. (photo by Randy Palmer)
younger crowd, which features a magical night for princes and princess — and their parents — to feel like royalty with entertainment, crafts and special guests.
The Little Princess Ball is an absolute favourite event in the city, where little princesses get to dress up and meet their favourite big princesses. (file photo)
Also in the spring is the Family First Radiothon, which raised just shy of $300,000 last year. The annual Moose Jawg charity road race takes place in the summer and is always a huge hit, and the Hillcrest Charity Golf Tournament in June also draws a lot of support from the community. The Health Foundation also holds Concerts in the Park every summer as an appreciation event for their donors, which features local musicians playing free concerts at
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Concerts in the Park are always a hit during the warm summer nights here in Moose Jaw. (supplied)
All of the fundraisers for the Health Foundation are always met with a swell of support from the community, which is why the foundation has been able to supply necessary equipment over the years: surgical equipment for the operating rooms, critical care ventilators, fetal heart monitors, and more. The Moose Jaw Health Foundation works very hard to support the medical needs of the professionals at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Hospital — and in turn, the patients who need those medical services. In the wake of the pandemic that has swept the nation, the Health Foundation has created a COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund in addition to its Mammography Matters campaign, specifically to support health care workers and the strain of resources they are experiencing. To contribute to the Health Foundation and any of its campaigns, or to learn more about its annual events, visit mjhf.org for more information.