HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS

I was hungry andyoa gave mefood, I was sic/a andyoa too/e. care of me. (MATTHEW 25,35)

The Charlottetown Hospital

In 1879 a major event brought a new light to the diocese and Island. That year saw the opening of the Charlottetown Hospital, a vision of Bishop Maclntyre and made possible

by the arrival oFsix Grey Nuns From Quebec to

administer it.

Located in the Former bishop’s residence

on Dorchester Street, roughly where the basilica sacristy now stands, it was the first

hospital on the Island which the sisters named

“Sacred Heart Hospital”.

At its beginning the hospital had twelve beds. lt was open to patients of any religion and almost all the staFFdoctors at first were not Roman Catholic. This is a good example of ecumenical co-operation long before this spirit became more common in recent times.

Because of overcrowding, a new hospital opened on Haviland Street in 1892. Ten years later a new wing was added. In 1918 the maternity department opened and two years after that came the launching oFthe school 0F nursing there which became one of the hospital’s brightest gems.

In 1925 a bright new brick hospital opened its doors and a local newspaper article of the day referred to it as “one oFthe best east of Montreal”. Meanwhile the old hospital was turned into an institution For the elderly and named “Sacred Heart Home”.

A significant change in the management ofthe hospital occurred in 1925 when the Grey Nuns terminated their services here and returned to various postings in Quebec.

20 0 HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS

First Claarlottctozr '71 Hospital

At that time as many as twenty oFtheir sisters were active here.

With the departure of the Grey Nuns the Sisters oFSaint Martha became the new administrators oFthe hospital. This sudden new responsibility was difficult For them at first. Despite this, the Sisters oFSaint Martha were soon able to handle their new duties at the hospital with true dedication and expertise and did so For more than halFa century. In 1950 a large new addition to the hospital made it truly a health care Facility onhich to be justifiably proud.

Fundraising For an institution oFthis magnitude is never ending. One of the

most dedicated groups For this was the

St. Charles Auxiliary, a group of Charlottetown women, which remained in existence For almost as long as the hospital itselfand raised hugh amounts 0F financial aid. Another successful Fund raiser was the annual mammoth hospital bazaar.

Nursing gmduatcs‘ ring and pin.