As educators, Dr. Horst and Ursula Taschow understood the importance of investing in young people. For the greater part of four decades, across three continents, they dedicated themselves to mentoring countless students at the high school and postsecondary level.
They also believed in giving back to Regina’s hospitals. Horst regularly volunteered at the Regina General Hospital, working with children who required cognitive care. That compassion extended to his investment in a number of key health-care services, including orthotics and prosthetics, the eye centre, the WRC Hemodialysis Project Unit and Hospitals of Regina Foundation’s $2.5 million surgical campaign.
The couple’s unwavering commitment and generosity made a lasting impression on their daughter, Cornelia Taschow-Graupe. In 2016, she and her husband Carl Graupe, built on her parents’ legacy of giving by pledging a gift of $150,000 to create the Dr. Horst and Ursula Taschow Research Fund, through the Foundation. The Fund will support a pilot project within our community called Improving Recovery after Pediatric Concussion, led by a team from the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR).
“My parents were advocates for education and offering a helping hand to our youth,” says Cornelia. “They would be pleased to have their names attached to a project that is committed to improving the health and well-being of our young people.”
In partnership with the Regina and Catholic School Boards, and with support from the Provincial Acquired Brain Injury Education and Prevention Program, the research team is focused on facilitating the recovery of children aged five to 17 who sustain a concussion.
There is currently limited data on the number of concussions in youth in Saskatchewan. Health professionals also know little about the daily experience of children recovering from concussion and how best to treat them.
New equipment is vitally important and will always be needed in our hospitals. Still, often times the most impactful projects are driven by sound methods, where there is a means to an end,” Cornelia says. “It is meaningful to me to have the Foundation invest in a project rooted in research. Knowledge plays an instrumental role in helping save lives.
Dr. Jennifer St. Onge, research scientist for the RQHR and lead investigator, says that physicians, researchers and school administrators are committed to working together to create a standardized approach to concussion management. She recognizes they would not be on the cusp of rolling out their project without the support of the Foundation and donors like Cornelia and Carl, who are directly helping to provide them with the tools they need to ensure children recover quicker and safer.
Cornelia is happy to make a difference.
My husband and I choose to give back to Regina’s hospitals because we see the good that comes from it,” she says. “I saw the impact my dad had when he volunteered his time. I will never forget the excellent care my mom received when she grew ill. Today, it is my turn. I am excited about building on my parents' legacy to ensure our youth receive the best health care possible.
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