Winter 2016 Community News

By: Jocelyn Adams, Communications & Special Projects Assistant(right

(Right to left): Megan Moran (Co-Chair), Maike van Niekerk (Katrin's Karepackage), Bree Bates (Co-Chair) and Josee Michaud (Co-Chair).

This past fall, Dalhousie School of Physiotherapy students were champions of For The Health of It (FTHOI), for the fourth year in a row. FTHOI is an annual community fundraiser where students from each school & college in the  Faculty of Health Professions, as well as Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry, compete to raise the most money for a charity of choice.

In 2014, FTHOI raised an impressive $54,000 for Regional Residential Services Society, with Physiotherapy students taking home the awards for Most Participation, Top Fundraiser, and Best Overall Skit.

Co-chairs from the previous year’s winning team organize the next year’s event. As Physiotherapy won in 2014, our second year students Josée Michaud, Megan Moran and Bree Bates stepped up as Co-Chairs this year’s event.

The 2015 FTHOI committee continued to keep things local and selected Katrin’s Karepackage as the charity of choice. Katrin’s Karepackage is an initiative to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society for Newfoundland and Nova Scotian residents and was founded by Dalhousie nursing student, Maike van Niekerk. In Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, residents who live outside the provincial hubs have accessibility and financial challenges in order to receive cancer treatment. The goal of this program is to not only raise donations for the transportation costs, but also improve awareness of the issue.

This year, Dalhousie University raised $51,000 for Katrin’s Karepackage. The School of Physiotherapy again took home the awards for Top Fundraiser, and Best Overall Skit, , resulting in the fourth straight championship for the School.

Here is what our fantastic FTHOI Co-Chairs from Physiotherapy had to say about organizing this year’s event:

“I had an incredible time planning this show! Collaborating with my classmates and students from the other faculties was definitely a highlight and seeing it coming all-together the night of was even better!”

Josée Michaud-Gilliland, FTHOI Co-Chair 2015
Communications

My experience with FTHOI was amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better team of girls to have as co-chairs. To see the change that we were able to help Maike bring to so many individuals’ lives was truly inspiring.

Megan Moran, FTHOI Co-Chair 2015
Logistics Coordinator

My overall experience was wonderful! We were very pleased with the funds raised this year and the show. We were all very motivated with Katrin's Karepackage on our minds and every school did a fantastic job! Megan and Josee were incredible girls to co-chair with and I think we made a great team.  I am so glad that the three of us put our names in for the event. “

Bree Bates, FTHOI Co-Chair 2015
Financials