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News Release

December 19, 2008

ATTENTION: NEWS / HEALTH / COMMUNITY EDITORS

Trillium Health Centre Volunteer gives best gift to herself

As Sandi Davis approaches retirement, she’s been thinking about how she wants to spend her time when she is no longer working 9 to 5. A career woman with a successful job in the banking industry, Sandi can’t imagine not working or contributing to her community in some way. Trillium Health Centre is helping her make that decision.

Committed to volunteering throughout her life, Sandi decided to donate her time to Trillium to explore her options. In November she began volunteering once a week for a three-hour shift in Trillium’s Emergency Centre where she provides patients and families with directions, escorts patients to tests and helps facilitate communication between families and staff.

“I help people during their most difficult times,” says Sandi. “At the end of my shift I may be tired but I am also happy and fulfilled knowing I helped people in need.”

Sandi comes from a long line of dedicated women committed to giving back to their community. Her grandmother was a volunteer at Misericordia Community Hospital in Winnipeg. Her mother sewed laundry bags for the Mississauga Hospital while raising five children and later volunteered in the gift shop. When she moved to Burlington, she continued to volunteer for another 25 years at Joseph Brant Hospital. Sandi began her own extensive volunteer career at 16 as a candy striper at Trillium.

“I have been involved in many volunteer initiatives, but caring for my elderly parents and raising my son and daughter didn’t leave much time for me over the past few years,” says Sandi. “Now that my children are grown and my parents have passed on, I have the time to devote to myself.”

“By giving to Trillium, I am giving to myself,” continues Sandi. “I am giving myself the gift of time and the opportunity to explore different roles which will help shape my life after I retire. It’s the best holiday present I have ever given to me.”

“Volunteers like Sandi play a very important role on our Emergency Centre team. She supports our staff and helps provide our patients and their families with the best possible patient experience,” says Caroline Brereton, Vice President, People, Corporate and Clinical Support Services. “Sandi contributes directly to the well-being of our community.”

Trillium launches volunteer recruitment campaign

Trillium Health Centre has an active volunteer team of 1,100 men and women. It has launched a campaign to recruit 200 new volunteers for their top priority areas of Patient Visiting, Emergency Support, Hospitality and Retail. Volunteers are needed throughout the hospital’s two locations, Mississauga and West Toronto, and more people will be needed as the new West Wing opens at Trillium - Mississauga in March 2009.

“Trillium relies on the support of our volunteer team to care for our patients from the patient bedside to the gift shop and hundreds of places in between,” says Lisete Figueiredo, Manager of Diversity, Spiritual Care and Volunteer Resources. “The hospital is growing and so are our needs. We are looking to our community to help us to continue providing the best care possible to our patients.”

Visit www.trilliumhealthcentre.org/volunteers to explore the many volunteer roles available at Trillium.

To find out more about volunteering at Trillium, please call Elaine MacDonald, Volunteer Services, 905-848-7276 or 416-521-4077, or email emacdonald@thc.on.ca

About Trillium Health Centre

Trillium Health Centre is one of Canada’s largest community hospitals with regional programs in cardiac, stroke, neurosurgery, orthopaedic, and sexual assault and domestic violence services. Housing a model ambulatory care centre and the largest free standing day surgery centre in North America, Trillium serves over one million residents in Peel and West Toronto and from other communities across Ontario. With the continued support of the Trillium Health Centre Foundation, the hospital’s fundraising arm, the two-site facility is attracting international attention for its innovative approach to providing health care services and has received numerous national awards for quality and innovation.

For more information, go to www.trilliumhealthcentre.org.

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Media Contacts:

Roula Giannidis
Communications Consultant
Trillium Health Centre
Office: 905-848-7580 ext. 2708
rgiannidis@thc.on.ca

Larry Roberts
Media Relations Consultant
Trillium Health Centre
Office: 905-848-7580 ext. 3832
lroberts@thc.on.ca