Your Stories

DOC Talk: Dr. Peter Kizoff

As a physician at GBGH, and a monthly donor to the GBGH Foundation, Dr. Kizoff offers a unique perspective on healthcare philanthropy.

Please tell us 2-3 sentences about you as a physician!

I am a retired Family Physician.  My practice in Barrie began in 1989, and continued until my retirement in 2016.  Now, I enjoy part-time work as a hospitalist at Georgian Bay General Hospital, and I work with the Palliative Care Group at RVH with a focus on providing medical assistance in dying (MAiD) care to palliative patients across Simcoe County.

Why is giving to GBGH important to you?

My wife Cheryl and I moved to Tiny Township in 2010, and so GBGH is our local community health resource.  But, further to that, I’m impressed by the top tier healthcare provided at GBGH.  The whole team, from top to bottom, demonstrates a profound commitment to providing exceptional care, working within the restraints of tight budgets, and collaborating for the best outcomes.

How does financial support from the community help you in your role as a physician?

If I’m honest, I was late to come to the realization that the government only funds the operational costs of our hospitals.  The equipment that we rely on as healthcare providers is purchased through donations, and without that support, we wouldn’t have the tools we need.

Why did you decide to sign up for monthly giving?

For us, financial contributions are easier to handle when they are monthly.  Further to that, though, is that we want to make supporting our hospital a priority.  Monthly giving allows us to plan, so we aren’t wondering at the end of the year what we will have left to give.

Is there anything you would like to say to others who may be considering supporting our hospital with a monthly gift?

GBGH is a tremendous organization, providing excellent care for our community.  I’m impressed with the dedication of the whole team to do their best, and strive to do even better.
Monthly giving is a financial strategy; like paying taxes in installments.  It’s easy, and provides valuable support for our community hospital.

To learn more about Monthly Giving, please click here or contact Lisa Wanamaker, Donor Relations & Stewardship Officer (wanamakerl@gbgh.on.ca or 705-526-1300 ext. 5342)

A Doctor…a Friend

Kelly Bald returned to the warm embrace of home and mother Diane in Penetanguishene in 2001. With her was daughter Gabrielle, then age two, who was afflicted with a serious heart condition that required a transplant.

The ensuing years were fraught with family angst as Gabrielle endured a variety of treatments. Those anguished times were eased somewhat by, as Diane and Kelly recall, the vibrancy that Gabrielle brought to their days, and by the comforting care they received at Georgian Bay General Hospital.

GBGH, they recall, provided a dual benefit: Its close proximity meant that many medical issues that arose could be addressed quickly — “if we had to go back and forth to Sick Kids, the costs would have been tremendous,” Kelly says — but, of greater importance, the personalized touch that comes from a facility in a smaller community — a level of intimate care that is extremely difficult to find in a super-scale facility — was invaluable.

In the ER, staff quickly became familiar with Gabrielle and her specific needs — since her immunity was compromised, for instance, there were occasions when she needed to be isolated from the general public on visits, to avoid health complications. “That familiarity was so re-assuring,” Diane says. “We never questioned her care.”

They have special fondness for Dr. Martin McNamara, who became a key caregiver and who, they note, also went more than the extra mile. “There were times when Dr. McNamara would come to our home because he did not want Gabrielle coming in” because of immunity issues, Kelly says.

In 2012, two weeks after her 13^th birthday, Gabrielle passed away. “Although it is eight years now, it still feels like yesterday,” Diane says. “She was so vibrant, and it has left a huge hole.”

Diane and Kelly say their experience demonstrates the importance of maintaining a facility such as GBGH in the local community — for everyone in it. “We are just so thankful we have a hospital here,” Diane says.