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Headwaters hospital celebrates opening of pediatric facilities

June 6, 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Makayla Pereira

On May 27, Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) celebrated the grand opening of two of the hospital’s family paediatric quiet rooms and updates to the paediatric hallway.

The renovation theme was “bring the outside in”. The HHCC campus is surrounded by beautiful Friendship Gardens managed fully by a team of dedicated volunteers. The goal was to brighten family orientated spaces at the hospital with the beauty that can be seen from each patient window. 

The transformations of the hospital were completed over one full weekend in April. The Smilezone Foundation prides itself on being able to complete the transformations of each facility over just one weekend without bringing any disruptions to patient care.

Scott Bachly, Smilezone Chair and Co-Founder said the following at last week’s grand opening, “Smilezone does not change the way the children are treated but what we are able to do is change the environment the children are in. We found that with the transformations the areas have become more uplifting. The transformations aren’t only for not only the paediatric patients but the parents and their siblings as well.”

All renovations to the hospital were made possible through the generous donations of Joan Waechter and the Smilezone Foundation. 

“Through Smilezone and Joan Waechter we have managed to bring nature and beauty into the hospital, creating a positive supportive place for our community’s children to get care and heal,” said HHCC President and CEO Stacey Daub.

The Smilezone Foundation was established in 2013 to give kids a place to experience a break from the day-to-day battles they face. The  Foundation helps to establish a quiet place that would put a smile on a child’s face.

“After working to transform the Oakville hospital my wife and I decided to start the foundation, it was clear it had to be for children and about children. We thought why only Oakville? We want to reach out to communities large and small all over Ontario, our vision has no boundaries, we are focused on putting smiles on every child’s face,” said Mr. Bachly.

Each quiet room created by the Smilezone Foundation  truly transforms institutional spaces into bright, engaging and therapeutic zones for kids of any age, ability and interest to enjoy during their Centre and hospital visits. 

The Smilezone foundation works with the staff of each healthcare facility to determine what kind of transformation is needed that will guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of each and every child that visits the facilities.

Mr. Bachly explains it’s thanks to Bank of Montreal (BMO) that they are able to create each Smilezone. BMO donated a total of 1 million to the Smilezone Foundation when they first were established in 2012, since them BMO has continued to donate to a variety of their other health care facility transformations.

“It is always great to work with strong, community focused partners like Smilezone, to support the needs at the hospital,” said HHCC Foundation Executive Director Dora Boylen-Pabst. “Without funding from our partners and community the hospital simply couldn’t provide the services it does.” 

Headwaters Health Care Centre has received a total of $90,000 for the project and are working on the details of other transformations that will come from this donation.

Mayor Sandy Brown said the project “demonstrates how we are taking care of children and families in Dufferin Caledon and the importance of community spaces, transformed areas like this will provide the level of care this community is proud of.

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