Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation Transforms Staff Gym
Cape Breton Regional Hospital staff now have access to a newly upgraded and vibrant fitness space to enhance mental and physical wellness.
The staff gym renovation was made possible due to funds provided by the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. Upgrades include the purchase of new equipment, improvements to current equipment, and renovations within the facility such repainting and redecoration of the space.
These upgrades allow the more than 2,000 hospital staff members to prioritize personal wellness as they work hard to provide care to patients, and their families, in times of need.
The project was spearheaded by Nova Scotia Health staff member Chloe MacDonald, who worked closely with Nova Scotia Health administration and the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation.
“Taking on this project was so much more than wanting to replace broken equipment. It was about showing staff that their health matters too,” says Chloe MacDonald, Health Services Lead, Primary Health Care.
Staff will now have access to the exercise tools they need for their well-being in the fully upgraded fitness center, including:
- A new free weights section for strength training
- All new cardio equipment, including treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes and recumbent bikes.
- Repair of a multi-use gym machine
- Fresh paint and updated decoration to modernize the space
“Staff health and wellness matters and it’s important to make health and wellness opportunities readily available for our staff. We are thankful to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation – Paula MacNeil and the team – for their support of our staff and this project through renovations and the purchase of equipment for the fitness centre. This project was staff-focused and staff-led and many thanks to Chloe MacDonald and others for the leadership they provided. This project shows the level of dedication that staff bring to the hospital at every level of care. It also shows that when we work together, we can make things better,” says Brett MacDougall, vice-president, operations, Eastern Zone, Nova Scotia Health.
To celebrate this important new investment in the health and wellness of health care workers, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on June 2.
“Staff are the heartbeat of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. As the saying goes, ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup.’ We want to help ensure that health care workers can fill their own cups, focusing on their own holistic wellness so they can continue to provide world-class care for members of our community,” says Paula MacNeil, CEO, Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation.