Deserving winners in 2015 Hospitals of Regina fall home lottery

If there had ever been a group of winners more deserving of the Hospitals of Regina Foundation Home Lottery, the 2015 draw has likely found them.

The grand prize winner of a $1.1 million showhome plus $10,000 cash is Regina’s Patricia Morsky.

“I hardly slept because I kept thinking did this really happen. It’s a dream come true. It’s very aptly named, the dream home, because it is a dream come true,” she explained.

“Actually we were in the process of looking for a home for my 30-year-old, so he said, ‘look no further mom’,” Morsky joked.

If there’s anyone who understands how important the quality of care is at hospitals, it’s Morsky. Besides being a mother of four, she was forced to call hospital home for a month after she was involved in a car crash 20 years ago. Morsky’s also a breast cancer survivor. Sadly, the cancer later returned.

“I’m now under palliative care and couldn’t ask for anything better. (Staff) are wonderful. They give such good care.”

The timing was great for the other grand prize winner of the $675,000 cottage. That’s because Robin Louis of Air Ronge watched his old cabin in La Ronge burn down earlier this year because of northern wildfires.

“You’ve got all kinds of stuff out there that you lose. Lots of it you’ll never ever get back. Of course, this cabin is way nicer than the one that I lost. It’s just unbelievable,” said Louis.

“Upstairs, he must have known.”

The other major winners included June Dickie of Strasbourg who won over $350,000 through the 50/50 draw along with Moose Jaw’s Darrell Campbell who won the Early Bird Prize of $75,000.

The foundation said a total of $1.3 million was raised for this draw. Money raised will be used to buy things like monitors, bed and lifts. However, overall the foundation said it’s about supporting hospitals and the work doctors and nurses do to make the lives of patients and their families better.

Morsky said she has purchased tickets for the Home Lottery since it started, with the hope of helping to improve hospitals. Clearly, she got more than she expected.

“It’s not about the winning. It never was. But it’s nice to win.”