Margaret Gould

Many people have come to the Sault for a year or two and remained for the rest of their lives. Margaret Gould knows the feeling. For more than 45 years, she has called Sault Ste. Marie home - a community where she's raised her children, trained her many dogs and lived an extraordinary life.

The Sault Area Hospital has had a strong influence on her staying. Margaret recognizes the hospital for the outstanding care she's received over the years through contributions to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation.

A mother of three and grandmother to five, Margaret attended McGill University in Montreal where she met her now husband, David - a McGill medical student. They have been married for 54 years.

In 1955, after David completed his first year of medical school, the couple married and began their new life together. They moved to Flint, Michigan for David's internship, and then Cleveland, Ohio where he completed his residency.

In 1963, David's career brought them to Sault Ste. Marie where he accepted a position at the newly founded Group Health Centre. With no ties to the community, the couple took a chance and moved with their three children.

"Initially we intended to stay in Sault Ste. Marie for only one year, but it has been more than 45 years and we are still here. It has been a great place to raise our family," says Margaret.

Margaret has many passions: family, her church, an amazing love for dogs, the community - and in particular, the hospital.
Margaret has a special connection to Sault Area Hospital and its staff. She credits their care for saving her life. When Margaret was involved in a tragic boating accident in 1984, she lost two of her precious dogs and suffered burns on over 60% of her body. Her daughter-in-law also incurred burns to over 40% of her body. Dr. Gould and their son suffered minor injuries. Margaret had a choice to receive care at a hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan or stay locally at the then Plummer Memorial Hospital. Margaret opted to stay in her community - one of the best decisions she could have made. Because of the severity of their burns, she and her daughter-in-law needed to stay in the Hospital for two months.

"I cannot say enough about the care both my daughter-in-law and I received while at the hospital," says Margaret. “The staff - both doctors and nurses - was absolutely amazing. They always went above and beyond, often working longer hours if required,” she adds.

This was not the only stay Margaret had at Sault Area Hospital. At age 41, she underwent a mastectomy, and has since had both hips replaced. These Hospital stays underlined the importance of a community hospital. In 1998, she and her husband began donating to the SAH Foundation. She and David became members of the "Friends Forever" Monthly Donor Program in 2003, giving monthly to the Critical Care Fund.

"Through my donations, I am able to give something back not just to the hospital but also to our community, so that Sault Ste. Marie can continue to offer great medical care," says Margaret.

Thanks to the care Margaret received at Sault Area Hospital, she continues to live a full life with her husband, children, grandchildren and dogs - two Golden Retrievers Sophie and Jerzy Girl, and a Newfoundland named Faith.

In addition to monthly donations, Margaret has also left a bequest to the hospital in hopes that community members - both present and future - can benefit from the same exceptional care that helped save her life. Her generosity and dedication to the hospital will be forever remembered and will help to ensure our friends, family, and neighbours have a local hospital they can turn to now and in the future.

"It is my hope that my donations will help generations to come - my children, grandchildren and one day my great- grandchildren," says Margaret.