In 2007, the Surrey Hospitals Foundation supported one 443-bed hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, and depended largely on lottery revenue to fund its operations. Fast forward to today and the Surrey Hospitals Foundation now supports multiple health-care facilities and services, including BC’s most progressive and largest public Alzheimer’s Centre, which it owns. This success is largely due to the visionary leadership of Jane Adams, president and CEO.
After 16 years at the helm of SHF, Jane has announced that she is stepping down as president and CEO in January 2024. Since 2007, she has helped raise $150 million for health services in Surrey and guided the Foundation through a period of tremendous growth and transition. Throughout it all, she has been a steadfast advocate for the healthcare community in Surrey.
“Jane has deep experience in fundraising and a vast network of stakeholders that she has leveraged for the benefit of the Foundation,” said Harp Dhillon, board chair. “She has an innate ability to sense and seize opportunities that will benefit multiple groups. This has led to initiatives, many the first or only of their kind, that have improved health-care services for the people of Surrey.”
The list of “firsts” that Jane spearheaded is long. A few notable examples include:
- An open source, clinical augmented reality patient orientation system in pediatric care at Surrey Memorial Hospital in partnership with Microsoft.
- Augmented reality training for nurses, in collaboration with a local IT company.
- Funding for Fraser Health’s first Nurse Navigator position in support of thoracic surgery.
- The largest donation to Alzheimer’s care in Western Canada.
- Award-winning campaigns, including 100 Days to Give, Give Where you Live and Keep it in Surrey that have helped Surrey health facilities get the equipment and services they need.
- A multi-year, unique partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Charity to help the latter sustain family rooms in Surrey Memorial Hospital’s critical care tower.
- Western Canada’s largest hospital-based social work fund, an important resource to help vulnerable patients re-establish themselves post discharge.
- The first academic research chair for Fraser Health, first clinical investigator position at Surrey Memorial Hospital and the first in-hospital clinical research unit, all designed to advance Fraser Health’s innovation and research infrastructure.
- And most recently, a Surrey-wide Health Summit to identify long-term health solutions for residents south of the Fraser.
In addition, Jane and the Foundation team collaborated with Fraser Health and the provincial government on some of B.C.’s most innovative health-care infrastructure expansions including the critical care tower at Surrey Memorial Hospital, the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre, B.C.’s largest stabilization unit for children and youth with mental illness, and Surrey’s first pediatric ER.
“It’s been an honour to serve alongside a committed and courageous board and management teams,” reflected Jane. “I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with a staff who believe in the art of the possible.”
Thanks to Jane’s vision and creativity, SHF is well positioned to meet the needs of a growing and changing community. A national search will be launched to find a new president and CEO with the energy, ideas and vision to ensure the Foundation continues to meet health needs of the people of Surrey today and in the future.
