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COMMUNITY HEALTH RESEARCH FUND

A Donation for Life: Groundbreaking Community Health Research in Rural Ontario

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10th, 2025

A $1.5 million donation by the Lister-Rundle Family Foundation has kick-started a research project in Ontario’s West Parry Sound that could serve as a country-wide model and encourage more philanthropic support for community-based healthcare initiatives.

The Lister-Rundle Family Foundation, established by Dr. Margaret (Molly) Rundle after a 30-year career as a family physician and her husband, businessman Stephen Lister, is the founding donor of West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation’s (WPSHCF) Community Health Research Fund.  This research fund is supporting a program that is exploring how lifestyle changes can help reduce the severity of some conditions – like diabetes and high blood pressure – and lower hospitalizations.

Listen to Molly and Stephen as they discuss the importance of this donation and impact they hope to have.

If you would like to help fund more projects like Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON) please contact Deborah Loosemore, WPSHC Foundation at dloosemore@wpshc.com.


Dr. Rundle says community health research grounded in smaller communities like Parry Sound is critical to developing strategies for better health outcomes for many Canadians who have conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure and who live outside major urban centres.  She also believes she and Mr. Lister have a responsibility to give back to the West Parry Sound community.

“Stephen and I have a deep sense of gratitude for having the privilege of being able to cottage in such a beautiful area. We encourage others to inquire how they may help out, be it for equipment needs or special initiatives like this, to help ensure excellent care is there when needed. For our family, investing in this prevention and wellness program, may help to contribute to a stronger, healthier future for everyone who calls this area home."

The WPSHCF supports the work of the West Parry Sound Health Centre, the hospital in Parry Sound that delivers essential health care to a diverse population that swells from 21,000 to over 121,000 during peak summer months.

This donation will help fund the Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON), led by Dr. Mylène Juneau. The Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON) helps people in the rural areas learn and adopt healthier habits through a 22-week program that includes personalized support from a range of medical professionals. “The bigger picture is that if our healthcare system is going to remain public and accessible to everybody, we really have to up the quotient of preventative and wellness initiatives like this in communities that really need it, like the Parry Sound community,” says Mr. Lister.
 
“As donors we support projects where we can have a meaningful and significant impact,” says Dr. Rundle. “We decide on gifts from our foundation as a family, and we understand how this project will help people improve their health, enjoy life more and hopefully avoid hospitalization as they age,” she says. 

“As a physician Molly’s been such a passionate advocate of promoting wellness and preventative healthcare for her patients over so many years that this [project] resonated with us as something that’s really important for the community,” says Mr. Lister.

About West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation

At the West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation, we partner with healthcare professionals, patients, and local and seasonal residents, to raise the funds required to maintain and expand the highest possible calibre of healthcare for everyone in the region.


Foundation contact information:

Deborah M. Loosemore 

Cell: 705-774-6571 

dloosemore@wpshc.com 

www.wpshcf.com 

Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON)

The Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program, Ontario (CLIP-ON) is a groundbreaking health initiative that helps people in rural Ontario learn and adopt healthier habits—both online and in person. Over the course of 22 weeks, participants attend classes and meet monthly with a certified Lifestyle Medicine doctor, a health coach, and a dietitian for personalized support.

Dr. Mylène Juneau, MD, CCFP, DipABLM Lifestyle Medicine Physician and Co-Investigator, Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON).

After nearly a decade of clinical practice in emergency medicine, Dr. Mylène Juneau has seen firsthand the escalating toll of chronic diseases—on patients, families, and the healthcare system. From ER overcrowding and hospital gridlock to rising burnout among healthcare workers, she has witnessed the unsustainable pressure chronic illness places on acute care settings.

This firsthand experience sparked her interest in understanding the root causes of disease and what truly helps people heal. That search led her to the field of Lifestyle Medicine and to her certification as a Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She now advocates for a whole-person, evidence-based approach to preventing, managing, and even reversing chronic conditions.

As co-lead of the Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON). in Parry Sound, Dr. Juneau is helping bring this vision to life. The program equips individuals with chronic disease to take charge of their health through key lifestyle pillars—nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, social connection, and substance reduction. She believes that initiatives like Complete Lifestyle Medicine Intervention Program – Ontario (CLIP-ON) are not only clinically effective, but vital to building a more sustainable and resilient healthcare system.

 

BACKGROUNDER:

What Is Lifestyle Medicine? 

Lifestyle Medicine focuses on the root causes of common health problems rather than merely treating symptoms. It promotes practical changes like eating healthier, staying active, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and building a strong support network. While medications are sometimes necessary, the primary goal is to help people improve their health through day-to-day habits. 

How Does CLIP-ON Work? 

  • Team Approach: Participants collaborate with a dedicated team—including a dietitian, health coach, and Lifestyle Medicine physician—to set goals and measure progress. 
  • Practical Lessons: Each week features live group learning sessions on nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and more. 
  • Live and Online Exercise Classes: Participants can also join in-person and online group exercise sessions led by kinesiologists. 
  • Personalized Support: Monthly one-on-one follow-up appointments help tailor the program to each participant’s needs. 
  • Ongoing Improvement: We regularly gather feedback from both participants and providers to refine the program, ensuring it addresses everyone’s needs and remains as effective as possible. 

Why Is It Important? 

  • Real Results: Since launching in fall 2023 with just eight participants, CLIP-ON has expanded to a third cohort in Parry Sound and is forming a new group in Moose Deer Point First Nation. 
  • Health Improvements: Participants report relying less on medications, enjoying better well-being, and feeling more satisfied with their health. 
  • Local Impact: Recent public health data shows that chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension) are serious issues in our region: 
  • Approximately 7.3% of local residents (12 years and older) have been diagnosed with diabetes, which is similar to the Ontario average (7.7%). 
  • In 2021, residents here were almost twice as likely to be hospitalized for diabetes-related issues compared to the average Ontarian. 
  • Diabetes mortality is nearly 30% higher than the provincial rate. 
  • Around 1 in 5 locals (19.6%) have high blood pressure, compared to 1 in 6 (16.7%) across Ontario. 
  • Hospital admissions for high blood pressure in 2021 were more than double the provincial rate, with older adults and women particularly affected. 

These statistics highlight just how common and serious these conditions are in our area. By teaching healthier eating, regular exercise, stress management, avoiding harmful substances (alcohol, drugs, and tobacco), nurturing supportive relationships, and getting enough sleep, CLIP-ON helps people lower their risk of chronic disease, reduce their medication use, and stay out of the hospital. As more individuals adopt these healthier habits, the strain on our healthcare system eases, improving everyone’s quality of life. 


Looking Ahead 

CLIP-ON aims to transform healthcare by empowering people to take control of their well-being. As Dr. David Katz, a leading advocate for Lifestyle Medicine, famously said, “Lifestyle is the medicine, culture is the spoon.” Inspired by successful programs in New York City, CLIP-ON brings lasting benefits to our local communities by weaving these practices into our everyday traditions. By making healthy living the new norm, we can turn the tide on chronic disease, inspire others to follow our lead, and create a region where people live happier, healthier, and longer lives.