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Nav Canada employees have concluded another successful fundraiser for the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, spearheading a campaign that raised $300,000 to support ground-breaking research at the Ottawa Hospital. The 2013 campaign was the first in a new five-year Ottawa Hospital fund-raising commitment from Nav Canada, which the company and its employees are calling the “Renewed Hope” campaign.
From 2008-2012, Nav Canada employees – supported by matching dollars from the company as well as supplier donations – generated over $1.35 million to support both cancer care and research at the Ottawa Hospital. With the latest campaign, the cumulative total since 2008 now stands at $1.65 million.
Campaign funds are raised through donations from employees in the National Capital Area and Cornwall, through special events such as the Nav Canada golf tournament which includes supplier participation, and through a corporate match. This year’s campaign focused on research being conducted by Drs. Rebecca Auer and John Bell in the development of a promising oncolytic virus vaccine that harnesses the immune system to destroy cancer cells.
“I want to say how impressed I am with how much our employees are prepared to give to this cause,” said John Crichton, president and CEO of Nav Canada. “Over the years, we have discovered what a strong connection we share with The Ottawa Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Many of our family members, friends and colleagues have benefitted from the great work being done by their dedicated professionals.”
The company presented its $300,000 ceremonial cheque to The Ottawa Hospital Foundation on August 10 at the company’s annual employee picnic. On hand to accept the cheque on behalf of the hospital were Dr. Jean-Simon Diallo of The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Dr. Kelley Parato of the Canadian Oncolytic Virus Consortium, and Tim Kluke, president and CEO of the Ottawa Hospital Foundation.
Charles Lapointe, vice president, technical operations at Nav Canada and 2013 campaign chair, expressed his appreciation to all employee donors, team captains and canvassers, and the company’s suppliers, in supporting the campaign. “I am thrilled to see that we’ve been able to keep up the momentum of this campaign and deliver another $300,000 – that’s four years in a row!”
Said Tim Kluke, president and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, “As I have noted in the past, Nav Canada has established a remarkable culture of philanthropy. The generosity of Nav Canada and its employees is second to none in Ottawa, and has fuelled cancer research success at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.”
