Ernst and Kathie Westphal of Osoyoos are proud donors to the Penticton Regional Hospital’s Medical Foundation, which is raising money to pay for equipment when the hospital’s $325 million expansion is completed. (Photo supplied)
An Osoyoos couple that have been blessed with good health know that not everyone their age has been so fortunate.
That’s one of the biggest reasons they recently made a “generous donation” to the Penticton Regional Hospital’s (PRH) Medical Foundation – a donation that has set a fundraising goal of $20 million over the next three years to purchase new equipment as part of the $325 million expansion of the regional hospital.
“We’ve always believed in giving with a warm hand when we’re alive rather than with a cold hand when we’re gone,” said Ernst Westphal, who along with his wife Kathie have made three generous donations to the PRH Medical Foundation over the past several years.
“Our goal is to try and help out as many other people as we possibly can and we believe that donating money that will go towards purchasing new medical equipment is a very good way to do that.”
The Westphal’s have lived in Osoyoos for the past 21 years, soon after getting married in Prince George.
Ernst, who might be the youngest-looking 81-year-old on Earth, had recently retired as a full-time firefighter in Prince George, while Kathie had spent more than 25 years as a nurse.
They had known each other as mutual friends for decades and became a couple back in the early 1990s.
“This was each our second marriage,” said Ernst. “Kathie’s first husband worked as a volunteer firefighter at the same fire hall that I worked at for most of my career. We had always stayed in touch … and we finally ended up together.”
They had visited friends in Osoyoos soon after getting married and were looking for a place to retire and decided Osoyoos was where they wanted to spend the rest of their lives.
“We had good friends here and everyone was so nice to us every time we came here that we decided this is where we wanted to be,” she said. “We’ve been here almost 21 years now and haven’t regretted our decision for one second.”
When they heard the provincial government had committed to building a new hospital in Penticton and the medical foundation was trying to raise money to purchase new equipment, they talked it over and decided to donate, said Ernst.
“We’ve been fortunate and blessed in our lives and we wanted to do something that would help others,” he said. “This new hospital is very much needed, but won’t do much good without new equipment, so this is where we thought we could help the most.
“The foundation is trying to raise $20 million and that’s an awful lot of money, but if a lot of people chip in here and there, then that target can be reached.”
Kathie agrees.
“The hospital in Penticton is a regional hospital and not just for the people in Penticton,” she said. “It helps people from Osoyoos and all across the region. We’re probably going to need the services provided there one day. We know that it’s an important thing and we’re just happy to be able to do our little part to try and help out.”
Ernst suffered a minor stroke in the spring of 2013 and found out first-hand just how outstanding the medical staff are at PRH.
“I was rushed to the hospital in Oliver and I was transferred almost immediately to Penticton,” he said. “I saw first-hand how cramped and crowded that hospital is and how badly a new hospital has to be built.
“But that being said, the staff were incredible and did a fantastic job under very difficult circumstances. I’ve recovered almost fully from my stroke and I will never forget how wonderful the doctors and nurses were to me at that time.”
The Westphal’s were reluctant to discuss their financial support for PRH, but did so in the hope others will follow their lead.
“We’re not heroes or anything special,” said Ernst. “We just hope others who can afford it will consider donating what they can. This new hospital is going to be fantastic and will really help people across the area, but many people don’t know the provincial government doesn’t provide the money to buy new equipment. They leave that up to medical foundations and these foundations need support.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
