Ted and Maryanne Kowalsky have spent a lifetime building, with their hands, their hearts, and their values.
After moving from a small town in Saskatchewan to Kamloops in 1979, the Kowalskys worked hard to create a better life for their family, eventually building the highly respected custom cabinetry business, 7 Point Millworks & Installations. Grounded in the values of hard work, community spirit, and giving back, they never forgot where they came from or what it took to get where they are today.
Ted and Maryanne are the proud parents of two children, Lanette, a faculty member in the School of Nursing at Thompson Rivers University and Bryce, a volunteer medical first responder for St. John’s Ambulance. Bryce was born with serious health complications that led to more than 20 surgeries before the age of 35. Each surgery brought a long, challenging road to recovery, spending countless hours in rehabilitation, first as a child learning to walk again and later as an adult determined to live a full independent life. Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) and its rehabilitation team became a constant: a place of reassurance, hope and healing.
With deep gratitude for the care Bryce received, Ted and Maryanne made a remarkable donation of more than $200,000 to the RIH Foundation in support of rehabilitation medicine over the past few years, a gift that has changed the landscape of care for countless others in our region.
Their gift helped fund the development of a physical medicine & ambulatory care clinic (PMACC), assist with upgrades to the rehabilitation department and help purchase many vital pieces of equipment necessary to deliver rehabilitation medicine.
The impact of their generosity is undeniable. “Their generosity allowed us to establish a true outpatient physical medicine and ambulatory care clinic—something we didn’t have before,” says Dr. Budiman-Steinley, Physiatrist at RIH. “It integrates care and allows me to work side-by-side with therapists. Without their support, we wouldn’t have the equipment, the training environment, or the credibility to uphold RIH’s status as a tertiary hospital.”
Just recently, Dr. Budiman-Steinley presented Ted and Maryanne with a wish-list of equipment their department could only dream of acquiring this year. That dream has now become a reality because Ted and Maryanne have committed another $100,000 to purchase every item on that list.
The Royal Inland Hospital Foundation has named both this rehabilitation clinic and a rehab patient room on the 7th floor of the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Tower in honour of the Kowalsky’s extraordinary gift. This is a lasting tribute to a family whose gift continues to restore mobility, dignity, and quality of life for so many.
Bryce, former volunteer and employee of New Life Mission and now an employee of Happy Day Senior Services and devoted volunteer with St. John Ambulance, is the living embodiment of that impact.
“Bryce is working in Happy Day Senior Services as a Companion. He is doing a phenomenal job being a Companion and driving people to their appointments. He is always willing to take a job on and even drives in the evening if a Senior has no family close to accompany. He is a valued team member in our company and we are glad to have him!” – Christine Sawatzky, Happy Day Senior Services
“He’s a fighter,” Ted says. “Despite all he’s been through, his cup is always half full. He never misses an opportunity to show up for others,” explains Maryanne. “We just wanted to give people like him the care they need, right here at home.”
Consider a donation to the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation, and help provide life-changing care to families who need it most. Every gift makes a difference.