St. Marys, Ontario | Canada
Barbara Green, Circle of Life | St. Marys Healthcare Foundation

— Stories: The Circle Of Life —

The Circle Of Life

We are all members of the Circle of Life. From birth to death we are cared for and, for almost as long, we are given the privilege of caring for others.

We are all grateful for good health. And in times of illness, injury, or at the end of life, we are especially grateful when we receive or someone we know receives compassionate and skilled care.

Barbara Green expresses her gratitude for the Circle of Life: for access to doctors and treatment “on our doorstep;” and for members of the community “who saw how important local healthcare was to all of us,” and then worked on behalf of or donated to the Foundation.

By donating to St. Marys Healthcare Foundation, you make it possible for the Circle of Life to continue so that others in your community will receive the critical care and support that you, a family member, friend, or neighbour received at a vulnerable time. The knowledge that your compassion, generosity, and gratitude will enable future recipients of that expert care to “pay it forward” in their turn is priceless.

When asked why he donated the money he earned from his lemonade stand to the Foundation, 7-year-old Briar replied, “Because I think it was kind to do.”
It turns out that Briar’s kindness…is contagious!

Whether you want to….

  • honour a caregiver—a nurse, doctor, staff member, or volunteer
  • or donate in memory of someone’s life
  • or simply express your gratitude for continued access to local healthcare

…it’s as easy as 1-2-3

1

Please take a moment to reflect on your own experience, or that of someone you know, at a time when compassionate, expert, and local care made all the difference.

2

Imagine how you would feel, as Ernie Little did, if that care had been unavailable when he was attacked by a nest of yellowjackets on his farm:

" I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the hospital…If I had to go to Stratford I wouldn’t have made it. If I had to go to Exeter I’d be gone. I know that they saved my life that day."

Or listen to Tara Porter express her gratitude for the care given to her mother and the whole family at an “agonizing time”:

" They made it easier for us to say goodbye to my mom….Just phenomenal staff, loving and caring."

3

Then explore the various ways you can make a donation, perhaps in ways you hadn’t thought of and tell us your story.

It’s the Circle of Life!