Healthcare touches us all in different ways, and it takes special people in the community to ensure health care professionals deliver the best care possible every day.

The desire to inspire others and help ensure access to health care remains close to home is what motivated a $150,000 gift from the Halsall family of Waupoos. The gift will help build and equip the new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital (PECMH) with environmental sustainability enhancements.

Joan and Dexter Halsall moved to Prince Edward County in 2017 from Oakville after retiring from careers in financial services. They were married in 2018 at Waupoos Estates Winery, down the road from their home. They have been active volunteers with some of the sports clubs in The County since they arrived.

They have supported the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation for the past three years with Back the Build donations for the new hospital. They have made additional contributions to medical equipment and other much-needed healthcare services.

“Joan and I have needed to use the hospital over the years. The Care Champions working at PECMH are always supportive and caring. Helping the doctors, nurses, and technologists acquire new equipment and move into a more modern hospital will help them deliver the best care possible to the community,” said Dexter. “Joan and I felt that it was a priority to help in that endeavour.” 

The Halsall family strongly supports the environmental sustainability enhancements that are part of the new hospital build, having undertaken many of the same initiatives at their home in Waupoos.

The current hospital – which serves more than 43,000 patient visits a year – is over 60 years old and is too small to accommodate The County’s growing population.

The new hospital will comprise over 96,000 square feet of space and provide 24/7 emergency services, expanded inpatient beds, leading-edge equipment, and enhanced infection control measures in a welcoming environment. A room in the inpatient unit of the new hospital will be named the ‘Bear Lair,’ representing the Halsall family's commitment to delivering healthcare to the community they proudly call home.

“Our caregivers continue to provide exceptional care for patients and their families, but the aging facility is challenging to work in,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation.

Coull thanks Dexter and Joan for being forward-thinking and investing in the community's healthcare needs for today and well into the future.

“We are thankful to the Halsalls for their inspiring donations and for supporting the future of health care delivery in The County. Their generosity will be felt for decades to come. We can’t wait to see the new building constructed and invite Dexter, Joan, and their family to view their name on the room that will be named in recognition of their generous support,” she said.

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to advance health care for the people of Prince Edward County and patients of the hospital.

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Pictured on the future site of the new hospital from left: Jen Halsall; Dexter Halsall; Joan Halsall; and Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation.

Missing from the photo is Matthew Halsall.