January is all about saying thank you to all of our donors who we appreciate so much! Without donors like you, we wouldn’t be able to do the necessary work to advance and revolutionize health care outcomes.
For Shelley Smith, giving has always come naturally to her.
“I’ve always wanted to do things for people,” Smith said. “It comes quite easy to me. I’ve always felt quite blessed in a sense and I wanted to share that.”
Smith has been a monthly donor for over 17 years, beginning her monthly donations in 2005. After moving to Calgary from Saskatchewan, she found herself in a lot of discomfort and pain. When she visited her doctor, she was diagnosed with Endometriosis, a condition where cells similar to the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, grow outside the uterus. It can affect nearby organs, and cause fertility problems and severe pain, especially during menstrual periods. She required a hysterectomy to remove her uterus, which took place at Foothills Medical Centre. While there, she experienced great care, but she saw some gaps in the health care system, and that was when she decided to donate to what was then, the Calgary Health Trust.
While recovering from surgery, she was paired in with another roommate, which she is thankful for, as having the company was reassuring to her.
“I just appreciated the care I received, especially at the Women’s Health Centre.”
Smith chose to contribute with monthly gifts and likened it to having around three expensive coffees a month, to which she was happy to have that money go to something worthwhile.
“Everyone has to access the health care system at some point. I don’t think my donation is a great deal per month, but I know we need to see some definite changes.”
After her own health care journey, her parents also spent time at Foothills Medical Centre before they passed.
Now retired, Smith volunteers by driving seniors around to appointments. She gets great satisfaction from giving back to the community with her time and money. She has also selflessly decided to be a Legacy Giver to the Calgary Health Foundation, which is a charitable gift specified in a will. Monthly donors are integral to Calgary Health Foundation’s ability to fund ongoing projects and help when a critical need arises. Through monthly donors, we can plan and allocate funds accordingly to the greatest need. We can’t thank Shelley and all of our monthly donors enough for their generous contributions. Because of donors like you, breakthroughs in health care are possible.
