Maria MacMillan

Maria MacMillan Endowment Fund:
2013 Award Announcement

Floyd and Ruby MacMillan, in loving memory of their daughter, announce this year’s three recipients of the Maria MacMillan Endowment Fund grants.

The first grant is awarded to Research & Clinical Health Informatics department. A NVivo 10 software will be purchased to assist in a Program Evaluation and Needs Assessment research project. An essential tool in analyzing surveys and interviews conducted with clients, their families and service providers to identify the barriers to receiving treatment and to outline what they believe to be successful treatment.

The second grant is awarded to the Pediatric Mental Health Unit. This unit treats children and adolescents for eating disorder related hospitalizations. Technology offers a new dimension for education and treatment; therefore an iPad will be configured with applications to assist in teaching patients with eating disorders.

The third grant will assist in funding the Celebrity Speakers’ Series. This event presents celebrities who speak about their own experience with mental health challenges, changing the attitudes of people towards mental health issues.

Maria was happiest when helping people; a tradition her endowment continues. Her charisma and devotion to excellence was evident throughout her school studies and athletic accomplishments. The endowment serves as both a celebration of her life and a commitment to helping others.

Maria graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Nipissing University. She had dreams of devoting her life to helping others through a career in psychology. Sadly this dream was never realized as Maria passed away on May 6, 2006, after a courageous battle with an eating disorder.

Remembered by family and friends as a loving woman, Maria’s mother Ruby explained that the endowment was created to symbolize that her daughter’s life had meaning. The income from the endowment fund is used to help individuals in our community who are also struggling with eating disorders. “I know she would have wanted that type of thing to benefit other people,” says Ruby. “She was a giving person.”