It’s not every day Hospitals of Regina Foundation gets a phone call from someone wishing to give a $100,000 donation. For people in southern Saskatchewan, who rely on Regina’s surgical services, this was an exceptional gift.

2014, Gerry and Joanne Huber made that very call, providing a generous contribution to the Foundation as a way to help the people in their community.

“Regina’s hospitals are so important,” said Joanne. “We know we may need them some day. What better way to give back than to the city we have called home for over 60 years?”

Motivation for their gift came from knowing their donation would go even further: “Our donation was doubled through the Foundation’s campaign at the time when PotashCorp matched all donations. It was a great opportunity,” she explained.

Gerry grew up north of Earl Grey and Joanne in Bank End before moving to Regina. They met, fell in love and got married. In 1965, Gerry began working as an accountant at Percival Mercury Ford. Nine years later, at the age of 34, he bought the company. In 2001, Gerry retired and sold the dealership. The Huber’s donation funded an essential microscope used to reconstruct tissue and bone loss. It helps patients battling various types of cancer, and industrial or farm accident survivors with traumatic injuries like the loss of a limb.

Dr. Daniel Kozan, a plastic surgeon for the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, says the microscope will help save lives. “This microscope is at the forefront of technology and is a huge benefit for patients,” he said. “It is light years ahead of what we previously used.”

The microscope is particularly useful during breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. “Using the patient’s own tissue, instead of an implant, lowers the rate of complications, it gives a much better overall result and removes the need for many surgeries,” adds Dr. Kozan.

For Diana Lee, the microscope was a godsend when she needed a double mastectomy after a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer. “I got perfect results. I can’t believe what a good job Dr. Kozan and his team did,” she claimed. “We have such awesome surgeons and I know they were excited to use the new technology for my surgery. I cannot say enough about how important it is for surgeons to have the tools they need. I got the best of everything

Gerry Huber is pleased to know their donation is helping people like Diana Lee, simply saying, “We are so glad we can help.”