December 2, 2011/-KINGSTON, ON -- Donors, dignitaries, hospital staff, community members and health care partners gathered to celebrate the opening of Kingston General Hospital’s newly expanded Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The new Intensive Care Unit boasts more beds, providing patients with improved access to the most urgent care in a family oriented environment that will soon include a family lounge area and quiet consultation rooms. Patients will begin receiving treatment in portions of the expanded ICU this month.

University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF) is the fundraising arm for Kingston's hospitals; Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston General Hospital and Providence Care. The successful Together We Can campaign raised the community share for redevelopment projects at all three hospitals, including the expansion of the Intensive Care Unit.

Lead donors to the ICU included:  J.P. Bickell Foundation (for whom an Intensive Care Room has been named), City of Belleville, City of Quinte West, Hastings County, KCCU Kingston Community Credit Union Ltd., Dr. David Messenger and Mr. Ian Semple, Molson Foundation, Sally and Percy Robinson, Dr. Samuel S. Robinson Charitable Foundation (for whom an ICU Isolation room has been named), M. Sullivan & Son Limited, and Andy Thomson and Patricia Phillips.

In addition, more than 15,000 other donors made shared gifts.  These contributions have paid the local share of the construction and equipment costs for the new ICU facility and the other redevelopment projects at Kingston hospitals.

UHKF continues to raise funds to make a difference at our hospitals for advanced equipment and technologies to help improve health outcomes; new projects to revamp and update clinical areas to improve access and create a better patient care environment; new initiatives in research and leadership development and training which will build capacity in our hospitals.

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