NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
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Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (Soldiers’) Foundation is pleased to announce a major gift from Bill Swinimer and family, longtime hospital supporters and Orillia residents.
The Swinimer family is proud to be actively improving the health and well-being of our community with a contribution of $500,000 towards the hospital’s new MRI project.
“Thanks to Bill, our MRI project is reaching the finish line," said Dr. Nancy Harris, chair of the Soldiers’ Foundation board of directors. “As a retired family doctor, I know firsthand the impact that MRI technology brought to the practice of medicine.”
Over the years, Bill and Sue Swinimer have invested generously in Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. They have both been avid volunteers, demonstrated by Bill’s long service on the board of directors and Sue’s commitment as an active member of Volunteer Services.
As dedicated community members and donors, the Swinimers hope to pass the spirit of philanthropy onto their children and grandchildren.
“It's really hard to explain the feeling of having parents that do so much for so many people," said Dan Swinimer, Bill and Sue Swinimer’s son.
“Pride, gratitude, inspiration, admiration, growing up under their influence and being exposed to their kindness every day.”
The magnetic resonance imaging machine, better known as an MRI, is a crucial piece of equipment in both the diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of ailments.
Soldiers’ current MRI machine was installed in 2007 and has completed over 100,000 scans since then. With technology changing and the machine surpassing its expected lifespan, the MRI was due for an upgrade. The Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Foundation (Soldiers’ Foundation) has been actively fundraising for the new MRI machine since late 2020.
"We’ve been really fortunate to have access to an MRI in Orillia," said Dr. Noah Wortsman, chief of diagnostic imaging at Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. “With this donation, we will be able to provide quality care for years to come.”
The Swinimer Family celebrated their giving achievement in a private ceremony with family and close friends present. The Swinimers hope that this celebration will inspire others in the community to give back to health-care services.
“On behalf of the hospital, I would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to Bill and Sue (Swinimer) for the incredible gifts they’ve made," said Carmine Stumpo, President and CEO of Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
“It's not just the generous donations. It's the time, the volunteerism, and the commitment to this organization and community they have shown through the years that matters the most.”
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