Wesley Shields & The Kelowna General Hospital Foundation

Wesley Shields, a family lawyer at FH&P is a proud member of the KGH Foundation Board. Wesley has been a board member of the KGH Foundation since June 2016, making this his fourth year. In June 2018 he was appointed vice-chair and in June 2019 he was appointed chair of the foundation’s board for a 2-year term.

The KGH Foundation was established in 1978 as “a bridge between a generous community and its rapidly growing healthcare needs”. Their goals are to inspire better quality in healthcare through research, investment, talent, innovation and technology. They also want to create a culture of philanthropy in all healthcare settings. Most importantly, they want to have a positive impact in all areas of healthcare within the region. Wesley was inspired to join this incredible foundation due to his strong belief and commitment to these values and goals.

As a board member of the KGH Foundation, Wesley has had the opportunity to witness many inspirational acts of kindness and generosity that has allowed the KGH Foundation to change the lives of many people. One achievement of the foundation that Wesley is particularly proud of is the establishment of Kelowna’s first youth mental health facility, known as The Foundary. This “open door” facility is unique in its multifaceted approach to providing mental health resources to a diverse and eclectic group of vulnerable and at-risk individuals. The Foundary is a place “where young people can find hope, help and support, when they need it”. The establishment of this facility was accomplished through the significant contributions and donations from people within the community in addition to various stakeholders. The Kelowna location of The Foundary, was the first branch to open in 2016, and since then seven other facilities have opened across British Columbia.

Another achievement Wesley was proud to be a part of was the founding of JoeAnna’s House. JoeAnna’s house is a facility that was built adjacent to the Kelowna General Hospital that provides accommodation for patient’s families that reside outside of Kelowna when family members are required to attend for treatment in Kelowna. This facility is, based upon the concept used for the “Ronald McDonald House”, and is an inspiring accomplishment for the KGH Foundation and a testament to the generosity of the Kelowna community. Approximately ninety percent of the funding came from people within this region, who will never need to use the facility.

Pictured above is JoeAnna's House.

One of Wesley’s most treasured aspects of being a part of this Foundation has been seeing the tangible results of the KGH Foundation in many areas of healthcare and, how the generosity of many community donors’ have changed people’s lives.The KGH Foundation’s achievements to date could not have been possible without the generosity of many donors from diverse backgrounds within our community.

The KGH Foundation Board is a volunteer organization with a diverse mix of people coming from various professional backgrounds, collaborating to advance the future of healthcare in the region. The Board members all share a common goal and vision.

Click here to watch the KGH Foundation’s video “Where the Miracles Live”, with narration by Penticton poet Shane Koyzcan for a greater appreciation of the excellent work undertaken by this organization. Click here for more information on the KGH Foundation.