The Real Treasure in the Valley: Reflections from Pierre Doyon

As Pierre Doyon completes his eight-year term on the Canmore Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, it is an opportunity to reflect on just how much the Foundation and the community's support for local healthcare have grown over the past eight years.

When Pierre talks about Canmore General Hospital, he doesn't start with statistics, fundraising campaigns, or board meetings.

He starts with family.

This year marks 25 years since Pierre and his family moved to the Bow Valley. Like so many local families, they have built their connection to the hospital over decades of everyday life. There were visits to the Emergency Department after skiing and biking mishaps. There were moments that came with raising active kids in the mountains. There was even the birth of a grandchild.

"There was very much a connection to the hospital," Pierre says. "We've always thought the hospital is this small treasure. I call it the real treasure here in the Valley."

That connection is what ultimately led him to join the Canmore Hospital Foundation Board of Directors eight years ago. At the time, he was looking for a way to give back locally and become more involved in the community he called home.

"It met my criteria," he says. "It was community-minded, it was something I knew I could contribute to, and most importantly, it was something that was both community-driven and personal."

Looking back now, Pierre has had a front-row seat to one of the Foundation's most transformative periods.

Rather than focusing on any single project, he talks most about growth. Not just in fundraising, but in confidence, capability, and ambition.

"What we've seen is the growth of the organization," he says. "Growth in terms of competency, dedication, and focus."

During his time on the board, the Foundation helped support major initiatives throughout the hospital, from long-term care and maternity improvements to oncology and the Emergency Department revitalization. But for Pierre, the biggest shift was something less tangible.

Eight years ago, many of these projects would have felt out of reach.

"I remember there was this fear of, 'Oh my God, how are we going to raise that kind of money?'" he recalls. "That's in the past. Now, we know we can do it."

That confidence wasn't built overnight. It came through thoughtful leadership, strategic planning, dedicated volunteers, and a community that continued to show up whenever healthcare needed support.

One of the things Pierre is most proud of is the way the Foundation has become part of the conversation in the Bow Valley.

"We were still a well-kept secret," he says. "Today, when you speak to people about the Hospital Foundation, they've heard about it."

That awareness has helped create something powerful: a community that understands the role the Foundation plays and wants to be part of it.

For Pierre, that makes perfect sense. Healthcare is one of the few things that touches every single person who calls the Bow Valley home.

"If you want to be involved in an organization that touches each and every person in the Valley, either directly or indirectly, healthcare does that."

As Pierre completes his eight-year term, he does so with a deep sense of optimism for the future. The Foundation is stronger than ever, the community continues to rally around local healthcare, and there is a shared belief that even bigger things are possible.

His advice for anyone considering getting involved is simple.

"Get involved. If you believe you can give your time and your resources to help support healthcare delivery in the Valley, then do it."

The Canmore Hospital Foundation is deeply grateful to Pierre for eight years of leadership, guidance, and unwavering commitment. His impact can be seen not only in the projects completed during his tenure but in the strong foundation he helped build for the future.

While his board term has come to an end, the influence of his leadership, vision, and dedication will continue to shape the Foundation for years to come.