Steelworkers in Sudbury reach HSN fundraising milestone

New education centre opens at HSN (2022) Health Sciences North showed off its new Labelle medical education and innovation centre on Thursday to the media.

One Sudbury-area union reached a major milestone in its support of Health Sciences North (HSN) earlier this month.

USW 6500 donates to HSN Feb 1 United Steelworkers Local 6500 most recent donation of $50,000 to the Northern Cancer Foundation on Feb. 1 will support research at Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre through the Health Sciences North Research Institute -- and brings the union's lifetime donations to the hospital to more than $1 million. (Supplied/United Steelworkers)

United Steelworkers (USW) Local 6500’s total lifetime donations to the hospital surpassed $1 million with their $50,000 donation on Feb. 1.

The union has been making donations to HSN to support patient care in northeastern Ontario since 1988.

“HSN’s services have touched the lives of each of our 2,600 members and their families, plus over 6500 retirees, in multiple ways,” said USW Local 6500 president Nick Larochelle, in a news release.

“We feel strongly about giving back to causes meaningful to our members and this has included pediatric care, oncology, research and everything in between.”

Local 6500 - Donations United Steelworkers Local 6500 contributed $500,000 towards the construction of Health Sciences North's Children’s Treatment Centre which opened in 2010 and supported the purchasing of two new ventilators for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the hospital’s PET scanner. (Supplied/United Steelworkers)

USW contributed $500,000 towards the construction of the Children’s Treatment Centre which opened in 2010. From 2003 to 2012, each member of Local 6500 contributed one cent per hour to raise funds for the initiative – with approximately 50 million hours worked to meet their commitment.

The union has also extended its support to help purchase various pieces of equipment at HSN including two new ventilators for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the hospital’s PET scanner – one of only 12 of the advanced imaging devices in the province – which allows patients in the north remain closer to home.

“We are grateful to be a part of the excellent care we know is happening in our community,” said Larochelle.

Anthony Keating is the president and CDO of the foundations and volunteer groups at HSN, he described USW Local 6500 as “exceptional philanthropic leaders in our community.”

“Their generosity over the last 36 years has allowed us to make incredible progress to the high level of care provided at HSN, for past, present and future patients,” said Keating.

“We are grateful for their long-time and integral support that continues to make an incredible impact on many in our region.”

USW’s most recent donation of $50,000 to the Northern Cancer Foundation will support research at Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre through the HSN Research Institute.