Researching the impact of healthier habits

Exploring how lifestyle changes can reduce the severity of some conditions and lower hospitalizations

A $1.5-million donation by the Lister-Rundle Family Foundation has kick-started a research project in Ontario’s West Parry Sound that could serve as a countrywide model and encourage more philanthropic support for community-based health-care initiatives.

The Lister-Rundle Family Foundation, established by Dr. Margaret (Molly) Rundle after a 30-year career as a family physician and her husband, businessman Stephen Lister, is the founding donor of West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation’s (WPSHCF) Community Health Research Fund. This research fund is supporting a program that is exploring how lifestyle changes can help reduce the severity of some conditions – like diabetes and high blood pressure – and lower hospitalizations.

Dr. Rundle says community health research grounded in smaller communities like Parry Sound is critical to developing strategies for better health outcomes for many Canadians who have conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure and who live outside major urban centres. She also believes she and Mr. Lister have a responsibility to give back to the West Parry Sound community.

“Stephen and I have a deep sense of gratitude for having the privilege of being able to cottage in such a beautiful area. We encourage others to inquire how they may help out, be it for equipment needs or special initiatives like this, to help ensure excellent care is there when needed. For our family, investing in this prevention and wellness program may help to contribute to a stronger, healthier future for everyone who calls this area home.”

The WPSHCF supports the work of the West Parry Sound Health Centre, the hospital in Parry Sound that delivers essential health care to the diverse population that swells from 21,000 to over 121,000 during peak summer months.

This donation will help fund the Complete Lifestyle Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON), led by Dr. Mylene Juneau. CLIP-ON helps people in the rural area learn and adopt healthier habits through a 22-week program that includes personalized support from a range of medical professionals. “The bigger picture is that if our health-care system is going to remain public and accessible to everybody, we really have to up the quotient of preventative and wellness initiatives like this in communities that really need it, like the Parry Sound community,” says Mr. Lister.

“As donors, we support projects where we can have a meaningful and significant impact,” says Dr. Rundle. “We decide on gifts from our foundation as a family, and we understand how this project will help people improve their health, enjoy life more and hopefully avoid hospitalization as they age,” she says.

“As a physician, Molly’s been such a passionate advocate of promoting wellness and preventative health care for her patients over so many years that this [project] resonated with us as something that’s really important for the community,” says Mr. Lister.

Learn more: wpshcf.com

Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with the Association of Fundraising Professionals Canada. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.