July 20, 2009/- Five local Rotary Clubs in Southeastern Ontario are making a pledge of $95,000 to support the new Pediatric Inpatient Unit at KGH. The donation, which will be included in the $70-million Together We Can campaign, will help children from across the region.

“We are so pleased to have the support of our local Rotary Clubs in the Together We Can fundraising campaign. Rotarians have been some of the most generous and committed donors to our hospitals over the years. I want to thank each club and all of their members, past and present, for their support. This donation to the Pediatric Inpatient Unit at KGH will make a difference in the lives of children across the region,” said Ian Wilson, Chair of the Together We Can campaign.

The Cataraqui Rotary Club, the Gananoque Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Kingston, the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac and the Napanee Rotary Club, have all been longtime supporters of the university hospitals of Kingston, some for more than 60 years.

"With over 1.2 million members in over 200 countries, Rotary International has always been committed to helping the youth of our world. Our 33,000 clubs have started and maintained initiatives for better health and living conditions for these children because they are our future. We all take great pride in putting our support behind our local hospitals. Our region, comprised of Gananoque, Napanee and the three Kingston clubs agree that their children and grandchildren will benefit greatly if we all stand behind this critical project. We thank the hospital for this wonderful opportunity to assist in their project and wish them every success in the future," said Adam Koven, President of the Rotary Club of Kingston.

“I am very proud to say that our Napanee Rotary Club has a long history of supporting our local hospital, so it only made sense to extend our support to the new Pediatric Inpatient Unit at KGH. Our club members know how important it is to have these services kept within our region for our children and their families,” said Janet Pringle, Past President of the Napanee Rotary Club.

In recognition of the $95,000 donation a special pediatric intensive care patient room will be named “The Rotary Room” when the Pediatric Inpatient Unit at KGH opens in early 2010.

The Pediatric Inpatient Unit at KGH serves children from across Southeastern Ontario. The new unit will accommodate family-focused, patient-centred care and address the emotional, physical and developmental needs of children. The new unit will include private rooms, a large playroom and have six designated pediatric intensive care and enhanced care beds to help ensure critically ill children do not have to be sent out of our region for care when the expertise is already in Kingston.