Port Perry Hospital Foundation: 2023/2024 Annual Report Update

The Port Perry Hospital Foundation builds awareness, resources, and relationships to enhance health-care for our community. When a community member takes action to help us expand our mission in new ways, it is truly wonderful. 

Brian Gribben, founder of Brian Gribben Insurance Planning (BGIP), is such a person. Brian conceived a vision to organize a gathering that united family, friends, clients, and supporters of the Port Perry Hospital in a common goal of buying a specific piece of medical equipment for the hospital. Thus, on a summer night in 2023, the inaugural BGIP Summer Spectacular concert and dinner party was held.

Brian generously hosted the evening of great food and incredible live music and dancing. Rather than imposing ticket fees or customary fundraising activities, Brian welcomed guests to enjoy the evening and embrace the spirit of generosity by contributing directly to the Port Perry Hospital Foundation. Alongside wife and business partner Lorraine, Brian had ambitious aspirations, asking guests to come together to donate adequate funds to procure two manual defibrillators required at the Port Perry Hospital.

Along with hosting the entire evening, Brian kick-started the fundraising efforts with his personal $5,000 donation. And together with the combined generosity of the evening’s guests, $60,000 was donated – enough for two defibrillators.

 We extend our deepest gratitude to Brian and Lorraine Gribben, as well as to Susan O’Connor, of BGIP, for ensuring the event was flawless and inspiring guests to join them in doing something truly extraordinary for Port Perry Hospital Foundation. And we thank each guest for joining in to help achieve Brian’s vision.

2023/2024 has also seen a multitude of projects made possible through donor support:

• We celebrated the arrival of the Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner at Port Perry Hospital, made possible because of the $4 million Here for You campaign. In the first nine months of service, 2,400 patient scans have been performed. This has been transformative in delivering great care close to home.
• The construction of the Healing Garden, a Port Perry Hospital project was virtually completed in the fall of 2023 with the offical opening in spring 2024. In the words of Dr. Rebecca Wray, “The concept of holistic healing in medicine is important and this garden offers nature, companionship, socialization, and hope to patients that can really aid healing, even more at times than a piece of medical equipment.”
• Projects in process include the arrival of 10 new stretchers for the Port Perry Hospital Emergency Department, 12 new vital signs monitors for the in-patient unit, as well as an updated ultrasound with echocardiogram capability, and updated trauma room lighting.

Our gratitude to our donors who make achievements like these possible cannot be overstated. There is no doubt that they are partners in the delivery of quality health-care. We also deeply appreciate our collaboration with Lakeridge Health colleagues, whose guidance ensures the effective allocation of community funds to address our hospital's most critical needs.

We are thankful for the dedication of physicians and allied medical professionals in North Durham. Additionally, we extend our appreciation to our fellow Foundations of Lakeridge Health, who provide vital support to their respective hospital sites, and with whom we work so closely.

Together, we shall continue to strengthen health-care for all of Durham Region in exciting ways.