PRHC Foundation President & CEO receives prestigious Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy designation

PRHC Foundation President & CEO Lesley Heighway outside the hospital

The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation is pleased to announce that President & CEO Lesley Heighway has been awarded the designation of Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy in recognition of her fundraising leadership on behalf of Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) is an international professional organization dedicated to healthcare philanthropy. The Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (FAHP) is a designation bestowed on AHP members who have made significant contributions to the profession.

Candidates must meet rigorous criteria including: career success that has had a transformative effect on the organizations they’ve supported; demonstrated leadership, mentorship and community service; and a comprehensive knowledge of healthcare governance and philanthropy. Of AHP’s 4,500 members at more than 2,200 healthcare facilities around the world, only 2% of AHP members have received the FAHP designation, with Heighway one of three selected in 2021.

Linda Skilton, Chair, PRHC Foundation Board of Directors made the announcement on behalf of the Foundation, adding that the honour is not only prestigious but well-deserved.

“In Lesley’s ten years as President & CEO, she’s worked tirelessly with donors from across the region to fund the equipment and technology that form the foundation of world-class care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre,” said Skilton. “Her success is fueled by a passion for healthcare that has inspired $30 million in donations in the past five years alone.”

Skilton added, “As a champion of innovation, her strategic and visionary leadership has led to incredible advances in patient care, brought new, life-saving services to our region, and helped our hospital attract and retain some of the best and brightest in medicine. The Fellow of AHP designation is an extremely well-deserved recognition of her many achievements.”

Dr. Peter McLaughlin, PRHC President & CEO, has worked closely with Lesley during her tenure at the Foundation and says she is a trusted leader, recognized by the sector and community as an authority on best practices in philanthropy.

“Lesley is highly-regarded by the Foundation and PRHC boards, hospital staff and leadership, and our donors,” said McLaughlin. “Her record of fundraising success and the impact our Foundation’s donors have had and continue to have on patient care at PRHC speak volumes about her performance, integrity and professionalism.”