The Victoria Hospitals Foundation supports the activities of the Royal Jubilee, Victoria General and Gorge Road Hospitals
The Victoria Hospitals Foundation: The Strongest Hospitals Have the Strongest Philanthropy
Avery Brohman, CEO of Victoria Hospital Foundation and Colleen Bronson, Director of Donor Relations
Avery Brohman has led the Victoria Hospitals Foundation as the Chief Executive Officer since 2021. She joined the Foundation in 2018 and became Executive Director in 2019. Along with her team, Avery has led considerable growth and impact for the hospitals the Foundation serves and the patients who need them. Her professional background in the non-profit sector spans over 18 years, and her experience within the healthcare sector has included leadership positions at Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Colleen Bronson joined the Victoria Hospitals Foundation in 2018 as the Manager, Philanthropy. Throughout her tenure, she has collaborated with generous individuals, companies, and service organizations, dedicated to enhancing care within our hospitals. She has been fundraising professionally since 2012, including as Director of Advancement at Mercy Ships Canada.
The Victoria Hospitals Foundation supports the activities of the Royal Jubilee, Victoria General and Gorge Road Hospitals. Avery noted that every hospital in Canada is supported in some way by a foundation that seeks donations on their behalf. The foundation is part of the response to the health care crisis in Victoria. Hospitals now cannot provide the expected standard of care solely on government funding. The Victoria Hospitals Foundation endeavours to prudently steward the donations it receives and works to achieve the best possible value for its funds. Donors are largely individuals. As Victoria is not a city of corporate headquarters, it cannot depend on substantial corporate donations in the way that Vancouver or Toronto can. Amongst these donors, half have been contributing regularly for 10years or more.
Colleen Bronson detailed the foundation’s activities. Donations support four general areas:
Research – this was the focus of the campaign completed in May 2023.
Education – directed at the array of caregivers in the hospital environment (more than 8400 people)
Special projects – the most notable example being the construction of the Patient Care Centre at RJH
Equipment – equipment acquisition takes about 40% of all donor dollars as there is a continuing need for technological renewal and improvement. And the quality of equipment plays a role in the recruitment and retention of medical staff.
The foundation runs various campaigns throughout the year. The next one initiates on October 4, targeting the updating of almost all imaging equipment at both RJH and VGH. Part of this is the upgrading of the MRI units (rather than outright replacement with new) – this is possible at 1/3 the cost per unit.
Where the foundation needs help is in (1) sharing the message; (2) donations, of course; (3) event attendance – next one in November, black tie; (4) volunteers on the ground, especially office help. The Annual Report will be released on September 27.