Month by month
Martha and Charles Dutrizac’s monthly gifts to palliative care and ophthalmology at St. Joseph’s are adding up to a big impact on care
For Martha and Charles Dutrizac, giving a monthly donation to St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation just makes sense.
These two retired educators – Charles spent his career at King’s College, while Martha was the Director of Education for a Catholic school board – have dedicated their lives to helping people who need assistance. They raised three children in London, all born at St. Joseph’s, and are now the proud grandparents to five grandsons.
Over the years, they have supported several community projects closely connected to their roles in education – like a social justice scholarship for students and aid for families in need. A few years ago they decided to support local health care, too.
“We have been really blessed in not needing the facilities at St. Joseph’s very much, but we know of so many people who have needed health care and palliative care,” says Martha. “That’s a big part of who we are and our respect for what these health care organizations offer. We do as best as we can to support what’s going on, in our own way.”
Caring for the caregivers
It all started with a coffee machine.
They had heard about the palliative care program at St. Joseph’s, where care teams help people and their loved ones navigate a difficult life passage. The Palliative Care Unit currently offers 18 private rooms that look out onto the grounds of Parkwood Institute and the forest in the distance.
The space is modern and filled with all the comforts of home, but it didn’t start out that way. Donors like the Dutrizacs have helped to fund equipment, renovations and upgrades throughout the Palliative Care Unit, from fresh paint to comfortable couches – all things above and beyond government funding.
When the Dutrizacs learned that the unit could use a new coffee maker and coffee grounds, they jumped at the chance to fulfill the need. “It started out modestly,” Martha shares. “When people are there with their family, it’s nice that there’s something for them to drink. These are very fundamental things that for us feel really important.”
A lifeline of support
After their first gift to the palliative care program, the couple decided to become monthly donors. Their recurring gifts have helped to fund countless needs over time, like cuddle beds that allow loved ones to stay close and comfort carts stocked with essentials like games and toiletries. They now also make a monthly donation to St. Joseph’s Ivey Eye Institute to recognize the care they’ve received there in recent years for eye-related issues.
“When we see the work and the professionalism at the Ivey Eye Institute, we're just blown away,” Martha says about the inspiration for their giving.
Dollars and sense
For the Dutrizacs, monthly giving – deducted automatically from their credit card – is a smart and easy way to help people in need without writing a big cheque.
“It seems like a reasonable little bit coming off per month,” Charles says. “That's probably something that a lot of people don't know, that a monthly donation is in so many cases very doable and it can be any amount. And they make such a big difference.”
As they enjoy their retirement, including traveling the world and spending quality time with their family, they plan to continue their monthly gifts to enhance health care at St. Joseph’s.
“We feel good, and we feel honoured to give,” shares Martha. “We know that people are actually receiving support that has indirectly come from us. It just makes sense.”