For Phyllis Lamb, a history of donating to Hospitals of Regina Foundation has let her touch the lives of the most people in her community that she possibly can.
“Sooner or later, we all need hospital care,” said Lamb, who originally hailed from Middle Lake, Saskatchewan before moving to Regina in 1953. “I don’t know of any other charitable organization that helps so many people. It covers all illnesses and diseases for all ages.”
Over the past 29 years, she has made a total of 59 donations to Hospitals of Regina Foundation, supporting everything from patient comfort items to high tech medical equipment in almost every area of medical care.
Lamb’s husband Vern passed away in 1984. It was then that she first saw the need for good medical equipment, including walkers and wheelchairs along with advanced diagnostic equipment. “You don’t really have a clue until you need it,” she explained.
However, it was in her years working on invoices and refund claims for Canada Customs that she saw how expensive pieces of hospital equipment can be.
Lamb made her first gift to Regina's hospitals in 1986, one year before the Foundation was formed. Since that time she has donated generously to help fill the greatest needs in all three of Regina’s hospitals – the Regina General, the Pasqua and the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre.
Lamb is exceptionally well versed in the many ways to give to charity. Along with direct donations, she has included a gift in her will, her life insurance policy, and on the advice of her financial planner, she has just created a Foundation to oversee her donations, recognizing that these donations can help provide tax exemptions.
After retiring 26 years ago, she became actively involved with the Regina Seniors Centre, especially in the singing and painting groups. She goes to the Centre twice a week to paint. In fact, she has donated 13 of her paintings to the hospitals through the Hospital Art Foundation. She has also been volunteering her time as a tutor for English as a Second Language students for 25 years. “In that time, I have had 17 learners,” said Lamb. “I still keep in touch with many of them.”
Lamb partially credits her philanthropic beliefs to her mother. “She was very generous even though we didn’t have very much,” she said. She continues to live modestly, choosing not to spend on material goods, although she says she has travelled extensively and never done without. “I did very well in my career,” she said humbly. “I don’t have any children, so I want to help the community. It’s nice to think you were able to do something good for other people.”
Lamb’s gifts have already touched thousands of patients. She has done so much for patients in Regina’s hospitals and she can’t be thanked enough.
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