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Local family makes donation to hospital in memory of their artist son is artwork hangs on the Hwalls of more than 2,000 homes, places of business and maybe even the prime minisâ€" ter‘s office. When Waterloo‘s Leejay Levene tragically passed away in a medical mishap July 5, 2007, his art was the one thing his family could still share with the world. But from tragedy has come some triumph for the friends and family of the 18â€"yearâ€"old Sir John A. Macdonald graduate who died from complications during what was supposed to be a routine denâ€" tal procedure. Leejay‘s legacy His mother Shirley collected his life‘s work and put it together in a calendar that celebrated the young artist‘s talent. The family printed 2,100 copies of the calendar hoping to raise funds for the redevelopâ€" ment of the intensiveâ€"care unit at the Grand River Hospital, where Leejay received some compassionâ€" ate care in the last moments of his life. They sold calendars by word of mouth, through friends and local businesses. Shirley said the calenâ€" dars made it as far as Prime Minisâ€" ter Stephen Harper‘s office, where they were assured that it would be hanging on the wall. Shirley said they held on to the last four for sentimental reasons. "This have been very therapeutic for me," she admitted. And when the campaign wrapped up last Thursday, the Levâ€" ene‘s had raised $13,000 for new ICU medical equipment to help other families going through medâ€" ical crises like their own. They preâ€" sented a cheque to Dr. Bill Plaxton, the director of the criticalâ€"care unit at Grand River Hospital, who was the primary care physician the day Leejay came in and has been a great source of comfort to the famiâ€" ly since. "They did everything humanly possible to save Leejay‘s life and we just wanted to do something." "Hopefully this gives your staff By Bos VrBANAC Chronicle Staff â€"Ron Levene Leejay‘s father the opportunity to save the lives of other people," said Leejay‘s dad Ron in making the presentation. "And hopefully it‘s a way to rememâ€" ber Leejay. Ron and Shirley Levene hold on:o? the pieces of artwork done by their son Leejay that they‘ve donated to Grand River Hospital. Accepting the donation on behalf of the hospital was ICU director Dr. Bill Plaxton, centre, who also received a cheque from the Levene‘s for $13,000. "We miss him and we‘ll always remember him." In addition to the donation, the family also donated two pieces of Leejay‘s original artwork, which Plaxton said will always hang in the ICU as a reminder. "Leejay was a special young man with very high hopes and dreams and there are literally hunâ€" dreds of people here who are touched by his care and affected in an important way," said Plaxton. "We were privileged not to be just involved in the care of Leejay but also the care of his family because we realize in critical care that the illness of the individual really affects the entire family, espécially Ev much decorating can you get done in one hour? Our Waterloo decorating itre now has an Interior Decorator on location and during your one hour consultation By can assist you in finding the perfect Benjamin Moore paint colours, window itments, furniture placements and flooring options. The | P P , Possibilities arf(‘ndr;(‘“ and all for _ | i),( J ”( U \ l( is P a reasonable fee! ind the perfect colour. CITY NEWS Book ‘/0,“, consualTetion 'L‘odm/.‘ "I will make certain that this (artwork} will always stay within the walls of our program to remind us of how important a hospital is to a community." in this case. The donation comes at a time of great change for the ICU unit at Grand River Hospital as it looks to expand from a nineâ€"bed unit to a 20â€"bed unit over the next two years. With its accreditation as a teachâ€" ing facility, most of the complicated cases the hospital faces will be hanâ€" died right within its walls when that expansion is done, bringing more comfort to families of critically ill patients. They will no longer have to travel outside of the region for that type of advanced care. "Most of the sickest patients we had to ship out to tertiary care cenâ€" tres mostly because of limitations of equipment and experience," said Plaxton. "We now have an academâ€" ic model and a closedâ€"access intenâ€" sive care unit which is what you would find in an academic teaching centre." The new 20â€"bed ICU is tendered and construction is set to start as early as this spring. _ â€" "The bed capacity is very imporâ€" tant so that beds are available for lifeâ€"threatened patients when they need the care so we can provide life support for them here at home," said Plaxton. It will be a multiâ€"million dollar expansion that will also add new equipment and new staff to the facility. "We‘ll always need to be on the edge of innovation and technolâ€" ogy because there‘s always new ways of doing the same job better and more safely for patients," said Plaxton. Whilé it will only form a small WATERLOO CHRONICLE «Wednesday,‘Maich 26, 2008 + 3 "They did everything humanly possible to save Leejay‘s life and we just wanted to do something," said part of that expansion, Ron said his family was just happy to contribute in some way. se 0. â€" additional equipment that is badly needed so that the staff can save more lives. "Based on their needs it‘s just a tiny little part, but we hope that tiny little part helps." Ron. "Hopeftilly they can purchase As for the end of the project, Shirley said she would like to conâ€" tinue to fundraise and is continuing with an art card project, which is a collection of postcards featuring Leejay‘s art. They are available online at www.leejayleverteTom. "The art cards are selling very well," said Shirley. "We‘ll always have a project to do because it is therapy for us." BOB VRBANAC PHOTO