Vaughan, ON (February 6, 2020) – Today, Mackenzie Health Foundation is pleased to announce a $1-million gift from R. Ferri Automotive to help build and equip the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital. This transformational gift will be recognized by naming the family lounge and play area within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the R. Ferri Automotive Family Lounge.
“Gifts like the one we’re announcing here today have the potential to change the lives of so many families who will walk through the doors of Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital,” says Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health. “Providing a peaceful and inviting space for families to rest and recharge when their loved ones are being cared for at the hospital is just as important as the clinical care we provide to our patients.”
Remo Ferri and R. Ferri Automotive have been involved in the Vaughan community for many years and have a long history of giving to organizations that support children’s health. The Annual Ferrari of Ontario Rally marked its 15th year this past fall and Mackenzie Health was a proud partner for the first time.
“As members of the Vaughan community, we have been waiting a long time for the moment where we can invest in our local hospital,” says Remo Ferri, President, R. Ferri Automotive. “Helping to provide a room where kids and their families can take their minds off of the reason they’re in the hospital is something we can be proud of.”
Mackenzie Health offers a one-stop suite of services to fully support women and their children through some of life’s most poignant moments – from pregnancy and delivery to neonatal and pediatric care. Once Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital opens, the Woman and Child Program will be equipped for close to 4,000 births a year, increasing our ability to offer seamless and compassionate care with a unique family focus. The NICU will provide advanced care for high-risk and premature babies by our expert team of nurses and physicians supported by the latest lifesaving equipment.
“Opening the first net new hospital in York Region in more than 30 years wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of corporate partners like R. Ferri Automotive,” says Krista Finlay, President, Mackenzie Health Foundation. “This gift will help us to ensure that our community has expanded close-to-home access to the ultimate in health care.”
Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital will be Canada’s first smart hospital, featuring devices and information systems that communicate with each other to anticipate the needs of patients and health care providers. The 1.2 million sq. ft. hospital will provide 350 patient beds with the ability to increase capacity to 550 beds. As the first net new hospital in York Region in more than 30 years, it will join Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, alongside Mackenzie Health’s community-based locations, in providing increased access to state-of-the-art health care to residents.
“Since coming to Canada from Italy as a young man, Remo Ferri has been determined to make dreams come true – first his own dreams and those of his family, then the dreams of the customers he serves and now with his support, the dreams of so many in Vaughan who have been dreaming of having a hospital of their own,” says the Honourable Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor of the City of Vaughan and Chair of the Ultimate campaign. “We’re so thankful to the Ferri family and R. Ferri Automotive for their generous spirit.”
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About Mackenzie Health and Mackenzie Health Foundation
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional health care provider which includes the existing Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, as well as a comprehensive network of community-based services. In March 2017, the organization received its second consecutive award of Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for its commitment to safety and quality patient care. This is the highest rating a Canadian health care provider can receive. Guided by a vision to create the ultimate health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future. With over 500,000 residents in southwest York Region, Mackenzie Health is proud to serve one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada. For more information, please visit mackenziehealth.ca
The Mackenzie Health Foundation is spearheading the Ultimate campaign – the largest fundraising drive ever led by a community hospital in Canada – which is committed to raising $250 million in community contributions toward the total $1.6-billion project cost of the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital. To date, the campaign has raised $175 million for capital projects, medical equipment, technology and educational opportunities for Mackenzie Health. For more information, please visit mackenziehealthfoundation.ca
Media contact:
Christina Cindric
Senior Communications Consultant, Mackenzie Health
905-883-1212 ext. 7490 | christina.cindric@mackenziehealth.ca