For Immediate Release
Monday, Sept. 15, 2014

Health Foundation funds new wheelchairs for Occupational Therapy through Sumac Fabrication gift

Fort McMurray, Alberta – The Northern Lights Health Foundation is pleased to announce the funding of five new wheelchairs for the Occupational Therapy Department of the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre. These wheelchairs were made possible through a generous gift of over $7,600 from Sumac Fabrication. The wheelchairs will greatly impact the Occupational Therapy Department, whose primary goal is to enable people who have physical, mental or developmental conditions to live as independently as possible. Occupational therapists achieve this by working with clients of all ages to develop, recover or maintain their daily living and work skills, ultimately enabling their clients to have a better quality of life. “The Health Foundation is so grateful to be receiving this generous gift for Occupational Therapy from Sumac Fabrication. Their gift will have a direct impact on community health care,” says Susanne Chaffey, Executive Director of the Health Foundation. “As the population in our community grows, so does the need for occupational therapy services. As a result, the department has been short on equipment and what they do have available is aging. The new wheelchairs will help alleviate pressure on resources, enabling our Health Centre’s Occupational Therapists to provide the best possible patient care.” Wheelchairs are commonly used in occupational therapy to assist those who have difficulty walking or are not able to walk at all due to illness, injury or disability. Wheelchairs provide these clients with the most mobility, independence, safety and comfort possible. Established in 2004, Sumac Fabrication is a Fort McMurray-based company which manufactures portable power and lighting equipment for heavy industrial work sites. They specialize in plant expansions; shut downs, turnarounds and maintenance within hazardous areas as well as general purpose equipment for non-hazardous areas. Their local project experience includes working with Syncrude, Suncor, Shell Canada and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. About the Northern Lights Health Foundation Established in 1985, the Northern Lights Health Foundation exists to provide funds to support health care priorities within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. For more information, visit www.northernlightshealthfoundation.ca -30- For more information, please contact: Amelia Schofield Stakeholder Relations Officer Northern Lights Health Foundation Tel: 780-788-1324 Email: amelia.schofield@albertahealthservices.ca