The Nicli family of St. Thomas has a million reasons to be thankful for the care received at Parkwood Hospital in London. Their relationship with Parkwood began 15 years ago when Anne-Marie Nicli’s aunt was diagnosed with ALS and her end-of-life journey was spent at the facility.
And then a decade ago, Anne-Marie’s father, Robert Nicli (pictured below), suffered a stroke and spent almost two months receiving inpatient rehabilitation in the Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Program (CORP) at Parkwood.
That deep connection to Parkwood inspired Anne-Marie and her mother Katherine to donate $1.5 million in support of stroke rehabilitation at the facility. The space will be named in honour of Robert Nicli, who passed away in 2019.
The Nicli family has a long association with St. Thomas, with Anne-Marie’s grandfather Arturo Nicli immigrating to the city in the 1920s, eventually founding Elgin Construction Company in 1944, noted for its sewer, watermain and road construction projects.
Robert eventually took over the business.
Anne-Marie stepped in as president of Elgin Construction in 2019, having worked closed with her father for several years after his stroke.
The Nicli family donation will support expansion of the current CORP, which provides care for individuals discharged from hospital but who require ongoing support.
St. Joseph’s Health Care London describes it as “a new model of care that extends traditional stroke rehabilitation using evidence-based practice and innovative technologies to promote recovery from the effects of stroke.
“It will also include a one-of-a-kind resource hub and care environment that wraps around patients, their families and caregivers, giving them the support, information and connection they need as they adjust to the new normal of life after stroke.”
Anne-Marie refers to it as a process “10 years in the making,” that will keep alive the memory of Robert Nicli.
Anne-Marie and her mother hope the expansion of CORP will support many families in the region in accessing critical services, information and resources. They also hope that it will create opportunities for people to connect with others on a similar journey.
Anne-Marie stressed, “Making this donation feels like honouring my dad’s memory while also creating a lasting impact in our community.”
St. Joseph’s Health Care London advises the renovations and expansion of CORP are expected to begin this summer.
Written by Ian McCallum
