Growing Petrolia-based family health team eyes expansion
Share this Story : Growing Petrolia-based family health team eyes expansion Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail LinksNewsLocal NewsPetrolia's Central Lambton Family Health Team keeps growing.Published Dec 09, 2025 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 2 minute readThe Central Lambton Family Health Team in Petrolia has set up a fund with the Sarnia Community Foundation for donations. (Handout)Petrolia’s Central Lambton Family Health Team keeps growing.Advertisement 2This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentThe primary health-care organization, which includes family doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, and other allied health professionals, had about 11,000 patients when it first opened its Glenview Road site in 2014.Article contentRecommended VideosArticle contentToday, there are more than 19,000, said executive director Sarah Milner, who recently returned to her lead role at the health team after more than two years managing mental health at Bluewater Health.In 11 years, the health team’s floor space has grown about 93 square metres (1,000 square feet), to about 1,300 square metres (14,000 square feet), she said.“We are kind of bursting at the seams, so we’re looking for opportunities to see where we can expand our space,” she said.With population growth expected in Lambton County, the organization with 12 family doctors has been talking with local mayors and planning for more demand, she said.Advertisement 3This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article content“We know that the need is here and that need will expand,” she said.A recently established $27,000 fund with the Sarnia Community Foundation could help, she said.“There could be some capital projects coming down the line as needs increase,” which those funds could go toward, she said.The fund, expected to grow with investment by the community foundation, could also go toward helping patients in need with medication and equipment costs, she said.The family health team obtained charitable status in recent years, in part so it could offer tax receipts to people who want to donate, she said.“There was interest and people had come forward to the organization . . . wanting to make a donation,” she said, adding that included memorial donations and people who were grateful for the care they received.Advertisement 4This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article content“We wanted to formalize that process a little bit better.”Getting the community foundation to oversee and invest those donations made sense, Milner said.“They have a great process in place for earning interest and being able to manage the funds,” she said.Donations can be made at sarniacommunityfoundation.ca, or by calling the foundation office at 519-332-2588.All donated money stays in Lambton County, Milner said.“We’re thrilled to support the family health team in this important endeavour,” foundation executive director Mike Barron said, in a news release.“This partnership reflects our shared vision of building healthier, more resilient communities.”Physicians with the health team also cover shifts at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital, and a residency program in the community has helped with doctor recruitment, Milner said.Advertisement 5This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article content“We’ve been very, very lucky and that has allowed us to expand substantially.”A nurse-practitioner-led satellite location in Wyoming for urgent care appointments sees about 400 to 500 patients a month, partners such as the local Alzheimer’s Society and Women’s Interval Home use the Petrolia site, and the health team recently received a $5,000 Lambton Creative County grant to partner with Petrolia’s Lambton Central secondary school, she said.That project, working with music and leadership students at the school, includes “working . . . with some of our patients and . . . seniors around putting words to song and being able to express emotion and decrease isolation,” she said.tkula@postmedia.comArticle contentShare this article in your social network Share this Story : Growing Petrolia-based family health team eyes expansion Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr
