The following is an op-ed by Marilee Harris, chair, and Patrick Horgan, past chair, of the board of directors at Southlake Regional Health Centre.
This holiday season is particularly bittersweet at your community hospital as Arden Krystal, Southlake’s outgoing president and CEO, hands over the reigns of leadership to embark on new adventures in retirement after nearly seven years at the helm.
Having worked with Arden closely since 2020 while leading Southlake’s board of directors, we’re grateful for the lasting legacy that her visionary leadership and unwavering compassion that has helped reinforce Southlake’s outstanding reputation for providing leading-edge care.
The numbers don’t lie.
Arden’s focus on attracting resources led to the addition of 117 more beds and corresponding operating funding to meet our communities’ growing health-care needs.
She leaves the organization with 700 more team members than when she arrived — a 21 per cent increase, despite the nation-wide shortage of health-care workers.
And over the years, she has helped Southlake Foundation raise millions, including more than $16 million toward the most recent HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match $20-million fundraising campaign benefiting the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre.
But her greatest demonstration of leadership came during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leading with unwavering poise and a steady hand, she guided Southlake through unprecedented challenges, ensuring the safety of both patients and staff. Through daily town halls, she helped ensure that every staff member, nurse and physician received real-time, accurate information, fostering a sense of unity and resilience.
We would be remiss to not highlight a few of her many other accomplishments.
Under Arden’s tenure, the Southlake Community Ontario Health Team launched as the second OHT in the province and has grown to be regarded as one of Ontario’s leading OHTs. Southlake@home was implemented, becoming the first home care model of its kind in Ontario and has been adopted by hospitals across the province.
In 2018, Southlake received the highest possible designation from Accreditation Canada – an Exemplary Standing. And in 2022, Southlake became the first partner of the Princess Margaret Cancer Care Network, bringing resources from one of the top five cancer centres in the world to patients in our communities.
A registered nurse with a 38-year career in health care, Arden’s legacy lives on through the lives she touched and leading-edge health care she strengthened. On behalf of all of us at Southlake, please join us in thanking Arden Krystal for her service to our communities.
Marilee Harris, Chair and Patrick Horgan, Past Chair, Board of Directors, Southlake Regional Health Centre
