The Women in Kindness (WINK) Executive has spoken – the two programs moving forward for the final vote on March 8, 2022 will be the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Breast Health.

Every year, the women of WINK decide together where their funds will be used, empowering them to make meaningful change throughout our Hospital community.

“One of our big promises to WINK supporters is that they will always be in control of their collective funds,” says Lindsay Owen, a Senior Development Officer at Humber River Hospital Foundation. “They have the power to direct their money, and they get insider access to the world of Humber to help them make informed decisions. Every year WINK grows bigger and better, and thanks to the generosity of our members, the pot is over $100,000 this year!”

Early this past December, 19 WINK Executive Members gathered together (and some virtually too!) at Have a Seat for the 2021 WINK Executive Pitch Event. Their task was to narrow it down to two deserving Humber programs that will advance to the WINK Den Event in March 2022. This time around, they heard from five Humber programs:

• • Breast Health
  • Humber Meadows Long-Term Care
  • Hysteroscopy Clinic
  • ICU Expansion
  • Long-COVID Research

After hearing all five pitches, the women of WINK ultimately voted on Breast Health (improving the patient experience through seed localization surgery) and the ICU expansion (cardiac monitors for 12 new beds).

Libby Wildman is one of the 19 WINK Executive Members who voted at the event. She says that the WINK members ultimately voted on the ICU expansion because of the information they received on the urgent need for more ICU beds in Ontario and how important  this expansion is especially during a crisis like COVID-19.

Libby Wildman is one of the 19 WINK Executive Members who voted at the event.

In addition, Libby voting for Breast Health was easy, as it hits close to home for her. She shared her breast cancer experience where five years ago, she had the wire inserted (which will no longer be necessary with seed localization) and had fainted because the insertion process was so uncomfortable.

“Breast cancer affects so many women, young and old, and not one person I know, doesn’t have someone in their circle with breast cancer. So, I think we all feel very close to this issue,” Libby says. “Breast cancer to me needs to be something we manage as a population and early detection is key, along with accuracy of removing the cancer and getting clean margins. I believe this procedural improvement will do that.”

On March 8, all WINK Members will vote for the program who will receive over $100,000 in funding.  Members will hear from program directors, physicians, staff and grateful patients to help them finalize who the winning program will be.

Join WINK today!

There’s still time to join WINK and make your vote count! Click here for more information on how to join, or contact Lindsay Owen at lowen@hrh.ca to start the conversation.

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