Paul B. Helliwell Foundation to triple community gifts to hospital

At today’s triple the impact fundraising announcement, from left, are: Stacey Daub, QHC president and CEO; Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation; John Jenah, president of the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation; Barbara McConnell, chairperson of the PECMH Foundation and Dennis Darby, Back the Build campaign co-chairperson and PECMHF board member.

Starting today, all new gifts to the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation to help Back the Build for a new hospital will have triple the impact.

For every dollar raised, the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation will donate $2, with a goal to raise $500,000 from the community, and the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation will donate one million.

John Jenah, president of the Helliwell foundation, presented the hospital foundation with a $200,000 installment to help get the campaign rolling, on Friday afternoon at the site of the new build. He was joined by Susan Jenah and their son, Jordan Jenah. The family now lives in Bloomfield.

“Paul and I always believed in supporting the community in which one lives or works,” said Jenah. “I saw this as the opportunity to execute one of the foundation’s philanthropic philosophies which is ‘to execute projects to provide the greatest good to the community at large’.”

“Being able to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and to be able to help others, especially in health care, would have brought joy to Paul’s heart,” said Jenah. “Making an impact that is meaningful to the Prince Edward County residents and visitors is what encouraged the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation trustees to make this 2:1 matching donation to help Back the Build. This new hospital promises to be an innovative centre for providing exceptional health care in the community.”

In recognition of the matching gift initiative, the Dialysis Unit inside the new Quinte Health Care Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital will be named in honour of Paul B. Helliwell.

“Members of our community continue to look for ways to help Back the Build in meaningful ways. It is exceptional and inspiring,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “I am so grateful for the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation’s generous 2-1 matching donation. This gift serves as a reminder of how community-minded we are in Prince Edward County; working together to maintain our campaign’s momentum and guarantee that health care services are available to those who need it for many years to come.”

Donations made through this campaign will also help people undergoing dialysis treatment in the new QHC PECMH. The clinic provides dialysis treatment for County residents, meaning they do not need to travel to Belleville or Kingston.

“I am immensely grateful for this remarkable gift that will support our patients for years to come,” said Stacey Daub, president and CEO of Quinte Health Care, and a County resident. “Partnerships are essential to serving our communities. The dialysis clinic at QHC Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, operated by Kingston Health Sciences Centre, provides life-saving treatment for patients closer to home. We are thrilled to be able to incorporate a warm and welcoming space for local residents who need specialized kidney care in the design of the new hospital.”

Paul Helliwell

Paul B. Helliwell owned several manufacturing firms with his wife, Neta. They were married for almost 50 years before her passing in 1985. Many years later, Paul married June and they were together for almost 10 years before Paul passed away in 2001. While successful in business, he was also philanthropic to causes close to his heart.

“Paul Helliwell was born to missionary parents while on a medical sojourn in China. His parents helped shape him into becoming the humanitarian that he was. He was also an entrepreneur, a visionary, an avid sailor, beloved husband and brother who strongly believed in giving back,” said Jenah. “Paul was a true philanthropist, leaving the bulk of his estate to his foundation to help worthy causes. Thanks to Paul’s tremendous fore thought, QHC PECMH’s patients, health care professionals and the community will benefit from his legacy for many years to come.”

His foundation has supported many health care facilities including Sick Kids, Humber River Hospital and the Toronto General Hospital.

“We’re delighted and incredibly grateful for the generosity that has just come forward. Community support is instrumental in advancing health care at the new QHC PECMH,” said Dennis Darby, co-chairperson of the Back the Build campaign. “Having a hospital nearby is a benefit of living in this community. This matching donation will have a tremendous impact on the thousands of lives who turn to our hospital every year for high-quality care.”

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is fundraising to reach a goal of $16.5 million to build and equip the new QHC PECMH, which is scheduled to open in 2027.

For more information or to double your impact by making a gift, visit the website at www.backthebuild.ca or call 613-476-1008 ext. 4502. Donations may also be mailed to PECMH Foundation, 403 Main St., Picton, ON K0K 2T0.