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Giving back is an important part of Oak Capital, but this year our chosen cause hits a little closer to home…
On Father’s Day, 2019, Oak Capital CEO Stephen Mitchell’s world changed forever. His second son, Harvey, was born in a hurry, 3 months premature, very ill and requiring a ventilator to help him to breathe.
“It’s world-shaking news for any parent, and I can tell you, it is a feeling like you can never imagine – nor do you want to.” said Stephen. His birth marked the start of a harrowing 88 days in hospital for Harvey, and lots of sleepless nights for the new parents.
This story has a happy ending, as Harvey is now a very happy and healthy kid, and he’s always smiling. “We owe that to the doctors, nurses and all the staff at the hospitals he attended during those first few months of his life. But in particular at the Mercy Hospital for Women, where Harvey was born, and where he lived for the first 35 odd days of his life, the most critical. The care and support they gave both my wife and our child was unparalleled, and I don’t think words can express how grateful we are for everything they did for our family.”
For a long time now, giving back has been a very important part of Oak Capital. It stems from Stephen’s personal philosophy, that those fortunate enough to be able to give back should, but it’s a value that has now permeated the company, with virtually every staff member getting involved and giving where they can. In fact, just a few weeks ago, the staff across the Oak offices got together to raise money for the Starlight Foundation’s Starlight Day, where they donated a combined $10,000.
Over the years, Oak has raised and donated well in excess of $300,000 to various charities and causes, including the aforementioned Starlight Children’s Foundation, Bayley House, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, CEO Sleep Out and many others. This year, however, Stephen has chosen to direct the company’s efforts toward a cause that is extremely personal to him, because in his words, “they helped save my son’s life”.
“We are proud to be able to officially announce Oak as a supporter of the Mercy Health Foundation”, said Stephen.
Mercy Health Foundation supports Mercy Health by advancing care and improving life outcomes for people in need. Since it was established in 2006, Mercy Health Foundation has worked closely with our many varied donors, including large philanthropic and family donors, corporate partners, event participants, community fundraisers and Mercy Health staff.
Over the course of this year Oak will be aiming to purchase at least 2 new Neonatal Ventilators for the Mercy Hospital’s NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). For many children these machines can be the difference between life and death, providing ventilatory support to preterm and critically ill infants suffering from respiratory failure. As with most medical apparatus they don’t come cheap, starting at around $55,000 each, though there is no value you could place on these that wouldn’t be worth the money to a parent whose infant child requires one to breathe.
To find out more about Oak Capital, visit their website here.
To find out more about the Mercy Health Foundation, visit their website here.
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