75 years of revolutionizing rehabilitation care
It all started from a group of women with a vision of what could be accomplished by focusing on patients' individual needs, rather than their diagnosis.
Founded in Toronto by the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine, St. John's
Rehab Hospital started from the Sisters' response to a need for
convalescent care in the community. What set them apart was their
tradition of focusing their care on the whole person - mind, body and
spirit. Since the hospital first opened on May 22, 1937, it has
continued this custom.
"That kind of holistic approach to patient care is part of a legacy that
has been built over the past 75 years," says Malcolm Moffat, President
and CEO at St. John's Rehab. "We are incredibly proud of our tradition
of rebuilding people's lives and the advances we will continue to make
in patient care."
St. John's Rehab was one of the first hospitals in the Toronto area to
provide rehabilitation care. Canada was slowly recovering from a world
war and an outbreak of polio that swept through the nation. It was
becoming apparent that the medical act of saving lives wasn't enough.
Rehabilitation was a growing need in the community. And now with an
aging population and with people surviving more conditions, it still is
today.
Mirroring the Sisters' vision that started over 125 years ago, long-time
supporters of St. John's Rehab, Yasmin and Fatehally Khoja, announced
their commitment to a major investment in rehabilitation care.
"We immigrated to Canada from South Africa some 35 years ago and have
appreciated what Canada has provided for us over the years," says Mr.
Khoja. "We wanted to honour our parents by continuing their legacy of
philanthropy and giving back to the community. And we felt there was no
better way to do this than to help St. John's Rehab rebuild people's
lives."
The investment made by the Khojas will help support survivors of
life-changing illnesses and injuries in Toronto and across Ontario get
back to their lives at home, work and in their communities. They will
also name a few areas in the hospital in memory of their parents.
"We are extremely thankful for Mr. and Mrs. Khoja's leadership and
vision," says Mr. Moffat. "With their support, our exceptional rehab
care will help thousands more people take this crucial step in their
recovery."To learn more about how St. John's Rehab is rebuilding
people's lives or to learn more details about the event, visit us at www.stjohnsrehab.com or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/stjohnsrehab and Facebook at facebook.com/stjohnsrehab.