Thanks to the generosity of a local couple, the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow was able to purchase some new equipment through the hospital foundation’s gratitude program.

In 2018, Bert MacNabb suffered from a serious infection, a complication caused by his diabetes,  leading to a four-week stay at Aberdeen Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and the amputation of one of his legs below the knee.

Bert spent six weeks at Aberdeen Hospital, two weeks at Sutherland Harris Memorial Hospital, and another four weeks at Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre in Halifax, NS. Bert’s wife Louise said when they got home, Bert wanted to give back and the pair approached the Aberdeen Health Foundation about a possible donation and were told about the gratitude program.

The foundation used the couple’s gift to fund the purchase of a recliner bed chair for the ICU and the foundation provided funding for several specialized patient chairs to enhance care.

Melanie Hill (left), a Registered Nurse in the Aberdeen Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), remembers Louise MacNabb (right) well. Louise’s husband Bert spent four weeks in the ICU in 2018 following a diabetes complication, and the MacNabbs credit the care they received at Aberdeen Hospital for saving Bert’s life. They showed their appreciation with a financial donation to the Aberdeen Health Foundation through the Gratitude Program. Their Gift has since been used to fund the purchase of a recliner bed chair for the ICU (pictured). The chair will allow patients’ families to rest comfortably near their loved ones in the ICU. (Aberdeen Health Foundation photo)

Michelle Ferris, executive director of the Aberdeen Health Foundation, said the recliner bed chair couldn’t be more perfect as a match for the MacNabbs gift.

Bert MacNabb passed away in December of 2022, but Louise says he would be thrilled to know the impact of their Gratitude Gift.