submitted by Jenny Read
When a valuable wheelchair went missing from Kemptville District Hospital, the hospital’s Chief Financial Officer and VP Operations, Brittany Rivard reached out to KDH’s insurance provider, McDougall Insurance Brokers Limited, about making an insurance claim.
Account Executive Megan Schooley quickly confirmed that KDH’s deductible was too high to justify submitting a claim. Then, unbeknownst to Rivard, she approached McDougall’s managing partners about the unfortunate situation.
Without hesitation, the partners, including Allister Brown of McDougall Brown Insurance Brokers, responded with an offer to donate the cost of a brand new wheelchair. Rivard explained that the hospital’s Rehab Department was very saddened by the loss of the wheelchair. Valued at approximately $3,000, the specialized wheelchair had been acquired just a few months previously.
KDH Occupational Therapist Sarah Moffat elaborated. “At KDH, our rehab department has a small supply of specialized wheelchairs to support the diverse patient population admitted to the hospital. The loss of even one wheelchair significantly impacts our ability to meet patients’ specific needs. This wheelchair in particular was used for patients who needed a lightweight frame for self-propulsion, tall seat height, and specialized cushioning for pressure injuries.”
KDH Foundation Board Chair Margret Norenberg gratefully received the cheque for $3,000 from McDougall’s Allister Brown and Megan Schooley. Norenberg expressed the Foundation’s appreciation for the gift. “Because of your generosity, we will be able to replace this key wheelchair in the KDH Rehab Department’s ‘fleet’ of mobility solutions,” she said. “Your gift will hugely benefit patient care and the ability of our Rehab staff to provide customized interventions for their patients.”
Norenberg noted that McDougall Insurance and McDougall Brown Insurance are long-time supporters of the KDH Foundation. Allister Brown, who previously served on the KDH Foundation Board of Directors for more than a decade, stated that the managing partners’ decision to donate the cost of the new wheelchair was a ‘no-brainer’. “As a firm we have a commitment to give back to our communities,” he said. “We want to make a difference.”
