Doris Kohinski made her first donation in 1993, and has been a monthly donor for 13 years— and counting

Doris and Barry Kohinski have been proud supporters of the HSC Foundation since 1993.
HSC Winnipeg is Manitoba’s hospital, and proud Manitoban Doris Kohinski is glad to have supported it for 13 years and counting.
Doris Kohinski has lived her entire life in Western Manitoba. Born in Brandon, her family moved to the Glenella area when she was young, which is where Kohinski stayed after marrying her husband, Barry.
Being a stay-at-home mom to four kids, with her husband running the farm, Kohinski never had a lot of extra money, but she always had a generous heart. That’s why, in 1993, Kohinski made her first donation to the HSC Foundation, which became a regular monthly donation in 2010.
“It was easier just to give $10 a month than giving $50 or $100 once a year. Just to give a small amount like that every month, you didn’t miss it, compared to the improved care we get back,” says Kohinski. “If we can get enough people giving that much, it really adds up and can make a big difference.”
Kohinski has continued her monthly giving to the HSC Foundation and has gone above and beyond that generosity. Donating in memory of late friends and family, supporting various HSC Foundation fundraising campaigns, and buying tickets for the two annual lotteries that support the HSC Foundation, Kohinski has shown that generosity doesn’t need to come with a large cheque, but with a large heart.
One of the main reasons why Kohinski chose to start donating 30 years ago is because of the care her father and other members of her family received. Kohinski’s father and brother both received treatment at HSC for aneurisms. Barry, too, required care in HSC’s Plastic Surgery Clinic a few years ago after a quadding accident left him with a broken finger.
“Barry’s injury really wasn’t a big deal, but they treated him like it was as important as any major injury,” says Kohinski.
One of Kohinski’s daughters works in PsycHealth at HSC, which is another reason Kohinski supports the hospital. Kohinski encourages others to give to the HSC Foundation. She holds her German immigrant family’s sentiment that it is amazing that we have publicly funded health care here in Manitoba, and it should be everyone’s responsibility to give back somehow.

Kohinski at her daughter’s graduation from Brandon University after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in nursing.
“Tax dollars can only go so far to help pay for health care, and what’s more important than our health? If we don’t have our health, we don’t have anything,” says Kohinski.
Monthly gifts make a significant contribution to our efforts to innovate and enhance patient care. Twelve times a year, our monthly donors inspire us to do more and do better for our current and future patients.
If you wish to set up a monthly gift, please contact Shayna Fontaine directly at 204-410-4942, toll-free at 1-800-6798493, email [email protected], or donate on our website.