Sea to Sky Benefits from Olympic Games Legacy Gift of a CT Scanner
October 23, 2009
WHISTLER The new Whistler CT scanner was officially unveiled today, a gift to the residents of Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton from GE and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) that will become a health care-enhancing legacy of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter games.
In addition to economic benefits, today’s opening of the Whistler CT scanner illustrates how hard work and opportunity have brought health care benefits to residents of Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton, said West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Joan McIntyre. Thanks to GE and VANOC, this Olympic legacy gift will ensure Sea to Sky residents and visitors receive the high quality and timely care they expect and deserve.
The new 64-slice CT scanner will be available for use before, during and after the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter games.
GE and VANOC are delighted to provide a legacy gift to Whistler for its residents and visitors, enabling greater access to GE’s innovative technology, said Peter Robertson, General Manager GE Healthcare. This technology will not only be a great asset during the Olympic and Paralympic Winter games, but also to the community after the competitions.
The people of Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton now have a lasting health care legacy from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, said Dr. Jack Taunton, the Chief Medical Officer with VANOC. This scanner represents a demonstration of how partners can work together to achieve great things.
It’s expected that as many as 2,000 patients will receive CT scans at the Whistler Health Care Centre each year once the service is up-and-running. Vancouver Coastal Health will fund the new CT scanner’s $200,000 annual operating costs.
Vancouver Coastal Health is committed to enhancing care and improving services for residents in Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton, said Mary Ackenhusen, Chief Operating Officer for VCH, Coastal. Today’s opening of this new CT scanner facility better enables VCH to provide Sea to Sky residents with the care they need, when they need it.
CT (computed tomography), sometimes called CAT scan or CT scan, uses special x-ray equipment to obtain image data from different angles around the body and then uses computer processing of the information to show a cross-section of body tissues and organs.
As a diagnostic tool, CT imaging is particularly useful because it can show several types of tissue including bone, soft tissue and blood vessels with great clarity. This allows radiologists to more easily diagnose cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.
Although the scanner itself is a legacy gift, the diagnostic equipment required construction of a new facility to house it. The construction project had a total cost of $2.28 million and was jointly funded by the Provincial Government ($275,000), the Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District ($1 million), and the health care foundations of Whistler ($901,000), Squamish ($75,000) and Pemberton ($29,000). In addition, the Squamish Hospital Foundation contributed $20,000 for Diagnostic Imaging training.
The communities of Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish collectively came together to raise the funds needed to build a specialized facility in which to house the donated scanner, said Marnie Simon, Chair, Whistler Health Care Foundation. Although the new CT scan is located in Whistler, the credit for it being here must go to all Sea to Sky residents who donated generously to the fundraising campaign.
The new CT scanner goes into service in early November. Having a CT scanner in Whistler means patients no longer have to travel to North Vancouver or beyond to access the diagnostic service.
I’d like to congratulate the project partners who worked collaboratively to bring this new CT scan project through to fruition, said Susan Gimse, Chair, Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District. A great deal of recognition must also be extended to residents within the Sea to Sky corridor for generously supporting this project through their local tax dollars and their support of the many fundraising initiatives. This grassroots momentum has resulted in the opening of this new facility in Whistler today.
Vancouver Coastal Health is responsible for the delivery of $2.9 billion in community, hospital and residential care services to over one million people in communities from Richmond through Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
CONTACT
Vancouver Coastal Health
Trudi Beutel, Public Affairs Officer
Phone: 604-708-5282 Cell: 604-812-1847
Email: Trudi.Beutel@vch.ca
GE Canada
Kim Warburton
Phone: 905-858-5678 Cell: 416-561-8316
Email: Kim.Warburton@ge.com
Community remembers Dr. Kindree
Dr. LaVerne Kindree
Family members bring personal context to Squamish’s most influential public figure
October 16,2009
Neil Judson njudson@squamishchief.com
More than 400 people spent part of their Thanksgiving weekend celebrating and giving thanks to a man many consider to be Squamish’s most influential person.
Mayor Greg Gardner spoke to the very core of the community’s loss as Dr. LaVerne Kindree’s bright smile was projected on the wall high above friends, family and admirers at the Howe Sound Secondary School gymnasium stage during a public memorial Saturday (Oct. 10).
I have the honour of delivering a eulogy for the person who, in my opinion, has done more for this community than anyone else,he said. That’s quite a statement, but not a very bold one in this case.
Gardner referred to Dr. Kindree, who died after a brief illness Sept. 26 at the age of 88, as the epitome of a leader, and as a man of action and modesty. He was a person who thrived on being proactive and vying for change through sacrifice with support from his wife, Norma.
He was a man who, by the tender age of 31, had successfully lobbied for the creation of the Squamish General Hospital just in time to battle, as the area’s sole physician, an onslaught of polio that touched about 90 per cent of the Squamish community.
I just can’t imagine being in that position, being the only doctor that a whole community was turning to, to lead through those troubling times. But lead, he did,said Gardner.
Squamish Nation council member Dale Harry also spoke of Dr. Kindree, otherwise known to his people as the good doctor. Not only did Dr. Kindree go to great lengths to tend to the Squamish Nation people, he related to them on a personal level as well, said Harry, who pointed out that he is one of about 3,000 people brought into the world by Dr. Kindree’s hands.
As stories of Dr. Kindree’s many accomplishments were mentioned throughout the ceremony his legacy rung clear before all five of his children took turns speaking with emotion and humour, offering rare glimpses into his life beyond the public realm.
Diane Kindree reflected on scouring mountain terrain in white protective jumpsuits collecting ticks with her father while conducting a breakthrough study on Lyme disease. When Dr. Kindree received the Order of Canada in August, he referred to this work with his daughter as the highlight of his career. The pair even coined a motto, said Diane: the family that ticks together, sticks together.
Dad was a wonderful father, a humble man, a wise mentor, a brilliant research buddy, my faithful companion and ultimate superhero, she said through tears.
Youngest son David Kindree recalled the family home in Valleycliffe, which was always full and buzzing with children, foster children, friends and various other characters welcomed into the house for a meal or a visit. He also revealed, with a chuckle, that he just recently discovered his father’s first name is actually Clifford and his middle name is LaVerne.
I don’t understand. He could have been Cliffy, or Cliff, he laughed, adding with a trembling voice, My confession is I never told my dad that I was truly proud of his name. But I’d like to tell him now that I am proud and truly honoured to be David LaVerne Kindree.
A slideshow presentation of old photographs further helped identify Dr. Kindree as a person with artistic passions and an adventurous spirit traits that continue to compel people to settle in Squamish to this day. One photo showed Dr. Kindree engrossed in his violin, another showed him standing contentedly in the alpine overlooking the valley.
Son Paul Kindree finished his address by describing a moving image of his father in his last few moments of life.
On the early morning of September 26, Dr. LaVerne Clifford Kindree turned his head and gazed at the Stawamus Chief and took his last few breaths, he began.
The sun was just beginning to rise and the Chief, in its wreath of clouds, were dancing in brilliant yellows, orange and reds. One of LaVerne’s final thoughts to Norma was that he hoped that he could soar to the mountain top so he could look down and watch over the community of Squamish. LaVerne, we hope your dream came true, because we’d all be truly blessed.
Copyright 2010 Glacier Media Inc.
Squamish Mourns Loss of Local Pioneer
Dr. LaVerne Kindree dies at age 88, leaving an unprecedented legacy of community service.
October 2,2009
Neil Judson
njudson@squamishchief.com
One of Squamish’s most influential community members, Dr. LaVerne Kindree, died at the age of 88 in Squamish General Hospital after a brief illness Saturday morning (Sept. 26).
Dr. Kindree leaves behind an inspiring legacy, which was honoured last month when he received the country’s highest civilian medal of distinction and became a member of the Order of Canada.
A true pioneer, Dr. Kindree was instrumental in establishing many of Squamish’s core institutions and organizations, including the Squamish General Hospital, the Squamish Rotary Club and the Squamish Chamber of Commerce.
It’s really hard to separate Dr. Kindree the man, Dr. Kindree the doctor, and Dr. Kindree the Chamber senator because he was really all-encompassing, said Chamber president Margo Dent. He was a man before his time in a lot of ways.
Dr. Kindree, who moved to Squamish with his wife Norma in 1947, was the region’s sole physician for several years, and in the early days, travelled by train and horseback to serve patients in Pemberton and Mount Currie. He was also British Columbia’s longest serving coroner, having worked in that capacity for 42 years.
Dr. Kindree also served as a municipal councillor for 23 years starting in 1955, and as a representative of the Squamish Lillooet Regional District for eight of those years. He led or supported at least a dozen more organizations, including the Squamish Health Care Foundation Society, Community Futures and the West Coast Railway Museum Society.
He’ll be remembered as someone who contributed incredibly to this community over the past 60 years, said Mayor Greg Gardner. He has left his mark on our community in many, many ways.
Well before being named to the Order of Canada, Dr. Kindree received significant recognition and honours. He received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Squamish Nation and became an honourary member in 1999. He was the original recipient of the Order of Squamish, twice named Citizen of the Year and earned the Premiers Award for Community Achievement. He was also given the Certificate of Service Award from the BC Health Association and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal from the House of Commons for outstanding contributions to the community.
A public memorial for Dr. Kindree is being held at Howe Sound Secondary at 11 a.m. on Saturday (Oct. 10). Donations can be made to the Squamish Health Care Foundation for the purchase of a CT scanner, a cause that kept Dr. Kindree actively fundraising over the last few years.
One of his very last wishes was for Squamish to hopefully raise enough money to buy a CT scanner for diagnosis of traumas, said his son Paul Kindree. He thought that was really important for the community, it was the next step to helping everybody in the community.
Copyright 2010 Glacier Media Inc.