The Congregation Leader of the Sisters of St. Martha Brendalee Boisvert says it is time to step back.
The Congregation has given notice they will conclude their role as sponsors of the St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Mission Assurance Agreement with the provincial Health and Wellness Department and Nova Scotia Health on September 30th. The Sisters founded the hospital in 1906; it was transferred to the province in 1996. The agreement created a committee that met monthly to review the hospital’s values and how they are being applied.
St. Martha’s Regional Hospital
Boisvert says there were several reasons behind the change.
Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson says the Sisters did ask the province about the possibility of another Catholic organization becoming the sponsor. Thompson says after careful consideration, the decision was made not to move forward with another sponsor, and St. Martha’s Hospital will more closely align its services and policies with all other hospitals in the province once the agreement expires.
The Antigonish MLA says efforts are underway to keep the spirit of the Sisters of St. Martha in the hospital that bears their name alive. Thompson says the impact the Sisters have had on a hospital they founded 120 years ago will continue to be felt.
Boisvert says it is the end of an era, but she and the Congregation are proud of the work being done by everyone at St. Martha’s Hospital
