This week, Dick and Gale O’Brien of Priceville established a new endowment to support patient care at GBHS Owen Sound Regional Hospital.

The O’Briens transferred bank shares to the Foundation  in-kind to establish the Dick & Gale O’Brien Endowment Fund. The Foundation will redeem the shares and invest the proceeds within its Caring for Tomorrow Fund with annual income earned supporting diagnostic and medical equipment related to cancer care and neurology.

GBHS Neurologist, Dr. Bryan Young, right celebrates the creation of the Dick & Gale O’Brien Endowment with the O’Briens. The new Fund will support cancer and neurology care at the Owen Sound Hospital.

Dr. Bryan Young is a Neurologist at GBHS, Owen Sound Hospital: “This new endowment will make an important difference to care we provide for patients with diseases of the nervous system. Our patients will benefit year after year, thanks to the O’Briens’ very generous gift,” said Dr. Young.

Because each received life-saving care at two different hospitals, Dick and Gale believe strongly that hospitals with up-to-date medical equipment are vital in treating patients quickly and efficiently.

“Not only is the hospital important to our community, our community is important to the hospital,” says Gale. Dick added, “This endowment is a way Gale and I can say thanks for good care received. We look forward to seeing it touch the lives of many patients in the years to come."

The Caring for Tomorrow Endowment Fund was established in 1996 to support the purchase of new medical equipment. It is comprised of a large “Emerging Needs” fund, plus 28 named and special purpose funds. Named endowment funds may be established with gifts of $50,000 and more. A disbursement of $600,000 for 2021 is planned before the end of March, bringing the total given the hospital to more than $6 million.