MATH, Mission Altogether for Healthcare, is a non-profit society, a group of citizens, long term Mission residents, dedicated to improving your access to quality healthcare locally. We remember 2002 when, under the predecessor to the Fraser Health Authority, the Fraser Valley Health Region, Mission Memorial Hospital was significantly downsized, losing many of its services. Then after a local well-loved nurse, Sandra Selvaraja, unexpectedly died at our hospital, we came together to help our community attain better access to high quality healthcare and ensure that local healthcare continues to be supported.  

Our purposes include  ensuring that residents of Mission and area have access to timely essential health services and ensuring equitable access to health care services. Other purposes include assisting in maintaining a sustainable and continuously improving health care system, and collaborating with our community to address local health care needs. We recognize the need recruitment and retention of healthcare personnel in our community.

What’s MATH done?

MATH’s initial project resulted from the realization that a CT Scanner was urgently needed in Mission for life-saving care so we collaborated with Fraser Health and the Fraser Valley Healthcare Foundation to fundraise the $70,000 needed for the required feasibility study.  In anticipation of government approval and the public announcement, various community groups, businesses, and individuals stepped up and we have fund raised more than $350,000 already – well on the way to the $1 million that we committed to raise for this initiative. 

We had a free movie night for families that, engaged the community while raising over $10,000 for the CT scanner. We participate in the Mission Healthy Community Committee. We work with our city government, our MLAs, the local Fraser Health Authority Administration, the Division of Family Practice, local health care providers, and health relate community organizations.

We hosted a Strategic Planning session to define community healthcare needs, define future directions and ensure that we were working with our partners, including representation from Fraser Health, local practitioners, city council and representatives from other community groups.

What’s MATH’s plan?

Our overriding goal (vision) is that MATH will be seen as an organization that facilitates the involvement of citizens in their own health and wellness as well as in the design and delivery of health care services in Mission and surrounds. The provision of primary health care services is anticipated to be through primary care networks and be available to all citizens of Mission.

We plan to

• Continue to fundraise for the CT scanner. More information about that will be in our next column.
• Meet with the Health Authority and the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation to help ensure Mission receives appropriate resources for healthcare.
• Partner with the Division of Family Practice to help ensure appropriate access to health care
• Place a monthly health related column in the Mission City Record

How can I help?

• Visit our website, mathorg.ca
• Donate to the CT scanner
• Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, Healthcare4Mission
• Join our nonprofit society