Tag Archives: Karen Davies

05.10.25
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‘We need to be proactive in our planning’ – St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital President and CEO Karen Davies, in the pitch for a new facility

To pick up from our advance story last week on the future of St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, President and CEO Karen Davies appeared before city council at Monday’s (May 5) meeting in the first of what she would like to see as regular opportunities to keep you “apprised at everything that’s going on in the hospital.”
Davies continued, “And so I’m not coming here asking for money today. It happens to be that the update I’m going to provide you with is really based on our space and capacity, and some of those concerns. It’s not a request for money.”
She reminded members of council that the hospital is over 70 years old, “And so the idea that we need a new building shouldn’t be a surprise really to anybody.”

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05.03.25
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The key to his success in Elgin-St. Thomas-London South? ‘The people saw through a lot of the noise’ – Andrew Lawton

Following his victory speech Monday night at the Columbus Club, MP-elect Andrew Lawton faced his first media scrum.
An opportunity for David Menzies, the chapeau-festooned reporter with Rebel News, to trot out the victim card in characterizing Lawton’s successful campaign.
“Look at some of the mainstream media coverage, which was perhaps unfair at best, vicious at worst,” suggested Menzies.
” You had demonstrators picketing outside your campaign office. So in other words, it wasn’t just you going up against the Liberal, NDP and PPC candidates, it was the media, special vested interest groups, and yet you still won.
“What do you say, reflecting back on that?”

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02.01.25
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A ‘very pleasant surprise’ in the form of a second Catholic high school for St. Thomas

A $1.3 billion investment by the province for new schools is welcome news for St. Thomas.
Included in Monday’s (Jan. 27) announcement was word that the city would get a second London District Catholic School Board high school, thanks to $41 million in funding.
The Ontario government is investing the funds to build 30 new schools and 15 school expansions across the province, creating more than 25,000 new student spaces and more than 1,600 new, licensed childcare spaces.
The Ministry of Education’s Capital Priorities program provides school boards across the province with an opportunity to identify their most urgent and pressing pupil accommodation needs.

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01.25.25
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‘The need for a new hospital is undeniable’ – St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital case for a new facility

St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital President and CEO Karen Davies is scheduled to present a compelling pitch to members of Elgin County council on Tuesday morning.
Her presentation is titled, St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Case Case for a New Facility.
It is subtitled, Supporting the Growth, Health and Future of Elgin County.
“The need for a new hospital has become undeniable as our aging infrastructure and growing demands strain our ability to meet healthcare needs effectively,” notes the opening page of the handout.
The presentation by Davies “provides information and updates about STEGH and outlines the need for a new hospital to meet the evolving healthcare needs of St. Thomas and Elgin County.

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12.07.24
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‘The development of Yarmouth Yards will require St. Thomas to take on significant debt in the next five years.’ – Finance Director Dan Sheridan

City council gets its first opportunity to review the proposed 2025 operating and capital budgets at Monday’s (Dec. 9) meeting.
Unless there are some major concessions or creative pencil sharpening, we will not be blessed next year with a budget sporting an increase of less than three per cent over this year.
Next year’s proposed levy is almost $74.5 million, up from shy of $69 million this year, an 8.13 per cent increase.
Factor in the estimated additional growth-related tax of 3.2 per cent and ratepayers are looking at a 4.93 per cent hike to the municipal tax levy next year.
City treasurer Dan Sheridan advises, “The 2025 operating budget has been a challenge, the high rate of inflation along with the need for additional resources due to growth and development have resulted in a proposed levy increase that is higher than in previous years.”

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10.12.24
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The water is anything but calm when it comes to closure of the STEGH therapy pool

While the closure of the therapy pool at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital has resulted in a wave of disappointed users, one Central Elgin resident is vowing to pressure hospital administrators into re-opening the pool relied on by Talbot Trail Physiotherapy clients and other area residents.
And we’re not talking about just anybody.
Sally Martyn is the former mayor of Central Elgin and STEGH board member along with a pool user.
Martyn held a meeting recently which dozens of concerned residents attended.
One of the outcomes of that meeting is to arrange a face-to-face session with hospital president and CEO Karen Davies.
“There were over 60 people who came (to the meeting),” advised Martyn.

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10.05.24
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With an operational MRI, ‘It’s a new beginning for healthcare’ in St. Thomas and Elgin county

In May of this year, St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital launched the Transforming Tomorrow Campaign, a new fundraising campaign because “Our community deserves access to the best possible care right around the corner, not in the next city over.”
That was the assertion of Jeff Yurek, chair of the campaign with a goal of $8 million to acquire a state-of-the-art MRI to be housed at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
And on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 1), Yurek officially opened the MRI suite at STEGH.
In the process, calling it “a milestone day.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place just two months after the arrival of the MRI.
The highly advanced scanner employs powerful magnets and radio waves to produce detailed 3D images of internal organs and structures.

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08.03.24
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‘It all comes down to giving back to the community’ – MP Karen Vecchio in announcing she will not seek re-election

MP Karen Vecchio called a week ago yesterday (Friday) wanting to talk.
It seems it had something to do with expiration dates, which caught my attention.
So, we agreed to meet in the myFM studio at which point she laid this one on us.
“I made my decision and that is to not run in the next election.
That would be the 45th election that we are expecting in October of 2025.
“And unfortunately, my name will not be on the ballot. And, next year when the federal election occurs, I will have been at it (sitting as an MP) for 10 years.
“I believe everybody has an expiry date and I know it’s time for me to be home.”
Now, there’s a world of difference between an expiry date and a best-before date and Vecchio has many productive years in front of her before reaching the latter time stamp.

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06.01.24
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St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Transforming Tomorrow Campaign: It’s about far more than technology, it’s about healthcare transformation, close to home

Editor’s note: City Scope has a new Facebook page at http://facebook.com/St.ThomasCityScope

 

This week St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital launched a new fundraising campaign because “Our community deserves access to the best possible care right around the corner, not in the next city over.”
That’s the assertion of Jeff Yurek, chair of the Transforming Tomorrow Campaign with a goal of $8 million.
The good news is the campaign is already at about 80 per cent of that target.
The goal is a complete makeover and expansion of the hospital’s diagnostic imaging department. The transformation will include the purchase and installation of the hospital’s first state-of-the-art MRI along with improvements to CT scans, nuclear medicine, X-ray and ultrasound services.
Ensuring residents have access to the highest quality care without the need to travel elsewhere.

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