May 26, 2009/- The 1,000 members of CUPE Local 109, municipal employees for the City of Kingston, are making a $50,000 donation to the redevelopment of the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario at Kingston General Hospital.

“We welcome this wonderful commitment from the members of CUPE Local 109. Supporting our hospitals is everyone’s responsibility, and the 1,000 members of this local have set an example of community leadership and generosity that we should all aspire to. We thank them, their past members and all their families for supporting the redevelopment of the Cancer Centre and all our hospitals,” said Ian Wilson, Chair of the Together We Can campaign.

The members of our local wish to make this donation in honour of present and past members of CUPE Local 109 and their families who have had to deal with this horrible disease and have received wonderful care and support at the Cancer Centre,” said John Hale, President of Local 109.

The donation will go towards the expansion of the Cancer Centre, which is already under construction at KGH. The first part of the renovations will be ready in June 2010. When completed, the Cancer Centre will be reoriented with the addition of an entranceway and a circular driveway off of King Street. Two new radiation treatment machines will be added to increase patient capacity flow. As well, a new high-dose brachytherapy suite will be added – offering a new treatment option for some patients with certain types of lung, gastro-intestinal, breast and gynecological cancers who currently have to travel elsewhere for this treatment.

The donation will be included as part of the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation’s $70 million Together We Can campaign, which reached $59-million in May.

CUPE Local 109 is a member of CUPE Eastern Great Lakes District, which represents CUPE locals from Brockville to Belleville.. Local 109 includes members City of Kingston workers from Public Works (Operations Department), Transit, Rideaucrest, Community & Family Services, Solid Waste & Recycling, City Hall, Arenas Marinas & Recreation Programming, By-Law Enforcement, Building Licensing and Planning Departments, Culture & Heritage,  Provincial Offences, Airport, Howe Island Ferry Workers and Kingston Frontenac Housing Corporation.