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Because You Care Gift Catalogue launches in memory of Roma Kehoe

The Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, and partner Colbourne Auto (Colbourne Chrysler and Colbourne Ford), are proud to launch the seventh annual Because You Care Gift Catalogue, in loving memory of Roma Kehoe (1942-2024).

Since the initial launch in 2018, the Catalogue has helped to raise more than $270,000 for more than 19 areas of care within the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

The Catalogue offers holiday, anniversary, and special occasion gift-giving opportunities, with an added impact of supporting Cape Breton patients in need.

“Health care and the Cape Breton community were both very important to Roma,” says Jim Kehoe, Roma’s husband, and owner/operator of Joneljim Concrete Construction, among numerous other businesses. “We miss her dearly, and having the Because You Care Catalogue published in her honour is a perfect way to carry on her legacy of giving back. The Hospital Foundation was a cause near to Roma’s heart, which makes this even more special.”

Roma, who passed away earlier this year, was one of the founders of the Festival of the Greens gala – a fundraising event hosted by the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary later this month.

In 2023, Roma was inducted into the Cape Breton Philanthropy Hall of Fame for her outstanding volunteerism.

“It is with warm hearts that we launch this year’s Because You Care Gift Catalogue in loving memory of Roma, who leaves behind her alegacy of giving back to our community and to health care,” says Paula MacNeil, CEO, Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. “Thank you to Jim, Claudette and Paulette for allowing us to honour Roma in this way and to share her story with our community.”

“And, with the support of our partner Colbourne Auto, we are so pleased to say that 100 percent of the proceeds from the Catalogue will be directly supporting patients, right here at home,” McNeil continues.

In 2021, Colbourne Auto committed $100,000 to the Because You Care Catalogue over five years.

“We are humbled to give back to our community and health care in Cape Breton by partnering with the Foundation, once again, to launch the Because You Care Catalogue,” says Brad Jacobs, General Manager of Colbourne Auto. “We want to support the community that supports us, and to help rally around such an important cause.”

The 2024-2025 Because You Care Gift Catalogue will focus on gifts in direct support of patients in financial need as it relates to their medical journeys. With six patient-care funds highlighted, the Catalogue offers opportunity to support patients on every floor and unit of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

On average, the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation supports more than 230 patients each month via patient-care funds, thanks to ongoing donor support.

Catalogues will be available at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, Colbourne Chrysler, Colbourne Ford, as well as online at www.becauseyoucare.ca.

If you or your business would like to help distribute the Catalogues at your location, please contact the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation at 902-567-7752.

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