By Mark
Schadenberg
Medical
research is very necessary and very expensive – that is a given fact, but since one family (or company) has given a significant monetary donation to a cause, so many
more research projects can be funded.
Renowned
businessman Ted Rogers died from a heart condition in 2008. He was the man
behind the gigantic corporation Rogers Communications, which includes cell
phones, fibre-optic high speed internet, high definition cable television, TV
stations, important community (access) television, radio stations (CHFI in
Toronto was is believed to be first stereo FM station), magazines (Today's Parent and Maclean's, etc) and other
publications, Toronto Blue Jays baseball, Rogers Centre stadium, and so much
more. In massive companies there is always ups and downs, but about the only
venture likely not to succeed in the Rogers conglomerate was Toronto’s arena football team.
This
past week, the Rogers family donated $130 million to heart research. Read many
of the links below for even more background, but this sum of money will be
combined with the time, facilities (labs, etc), knowledge and dollars of the
Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, the University Health Network, and the
University of Toronto to create the Ted Rogers Centre For Heart Research.
There
are alarming stats about heart health in Canada. For example, according to www.tedrogersresearch.ca, one in five over
the age of 40 are at risk to developing a serious heart condition, and 50,000
new cases each year of heart failure are diagnosed in Canada.
I’m
part of those numbers as my Dad died of a heart attack when he was just 52.
WOODSTOCK
It is
interesting to note that one of the key large-scale donations received to
assist in building Woodstock’s new hospital was $1 million from Ted Rogers in
the fall of 2008. Later that same year – Ted Rogers passed away. The Rogers
family made that significant contribution because Ted’s mom Velma grew up in
Woodstock. There are two internet stories attached below on that topic.
RESEARCH
The
press conference on Thursday, Nov. 20 not only unveiled how this funding system will
work, but also introduced the website, and described some of the already
important clinical studies on-going in both heart disease and stroke prevention. I liked
the following online quote:
()()()()()()()
We will
push the boundaries of scientific discovery, through innovation and
unprecedented collaboration to address and eradicate the significant heart
health issues that endanger the lives of children and adults today.
We will
challenge the next generation of heart specialists and health technology
innovators to think beyond what is possible today to set a new landscape for
heart health in Canada and around the world.
We will
bring hope through exceptional clinical care drive by world-leading research
that will build a new future each and every day and change lives forever.
()()()()()()()
Also in
the past, the Rogers family has made significant donations to both Ryerson and
the University of Toronto to improve educational facilities in broadcasting,
engineering and business.
Consultant
and business journalist Robert
Brehl assisted in writing the Ted Rogers autobiography titled Relentless: The True Story of the Man Behind Rogers
Communications, which was also released in late 2008.
As a part-time broadcaster for Rogers TV on London Knights games, I'm proud to be a Rogers employee.
LINKS:
Mark Schadenberg, sales rep
Royal LePage Triland Realty
757 Dundas St, Woodstock
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
(519) 537-1553
No comments:
Post a Comment