A new initiative named after a late, long-time Auxiliary volunteer is delivering care directly to select inpatient units at the Marotta Family Hospital.
The Marie Kordos Care Cart includes a variety of items for purchase, such as snacks, personal care items and colouring books, to various inpatients. Patients can pay for items via cash, debit or credit. There is no tax on the items for purchase, and all proceeds go towards the purchase of hospital furniture and equipment.
The cart was named in honour of Marie Kordos, a St. Catharines resident who dedicated 60 years of Auxiliary service to Niagara Health. Since joining the Auxiliary in 1966, she held a variety of volunteer roles that supported fundraising hospital furniture and equipment.
“It’s quite emotional, seeing the care cart with her name on it,” says Carolyn Jarrell, Marie’s daughter. “The fact that my mom’s work has culminated into this legacy of kindness makes our family so proud. She was very humble about her work.”
Jarrell remembers her mom taking her and her siblings to auxiliary events when they were kids.
“The fact that my mom’s work has culminated into this legacy of kindness makes our family so proud. She was very humble about her work.”
Still, it wasn’t until after she had passed away on Jan. 8, 2026 at the age of 88 that it was clear to her family the impact she had during her career as a volunteer.
Kordos was instrumental in implementing several initiatives at Niagara Health, including the Buckle Up Baby program. The program, which served to educate parents leaving the hospital with their newborns to properly buckle up their car seats and go home safely, was kickstarted at the former St. Catharines General Hospital on Queenston Street. Kordos also implemented the HELPP Ticket Program (Hospital Equipment Lottery Project for People).
During her tenure, Kordos served as President of the Auxiliary at Niagara Health three times and was also the Regional Chair of the Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario from 1987 to 1989.
In addition, she served as co-chair for the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Auxiliary in 2015.
Kordos’ son, Al Kordos, couldn’t take his eyes off the care cart.
“She volunteered because she loved helping others,” he said of his late mother. “Volunteering made her happy and it blossomed into a lifelong passion. Our family is so proud of her. She taught all of us what it’s like to take care of people and to have enthusiasm. She always led by example.”
The cart, which launched in March, has been well-received by patients.
“There is something quietly powerful about seeing the care cart make its way through the hospital,” says Robert Cosby, Director, Patient Experience. “It represents comfort, dignity and the idea that even small gestures matter. The cart carries Marie’s name, but more importantly, it carries the values she lived by kindness, generosity and care for others, and that spirit continues to be felt throughout the Marotta Family Hospital.”
Cosby says that the naming of the cart was a meaningful way to honour Kordos.
“Marie gave so much of herself to this hospital – not for recognition, but because she genuinely cared about people,” he says. “Her generosity and compassion continue to shape the experience of care here, reminding us that the most lasting impact often comes from kindness freely given. We are truly grateful for the legacy she leaves behind.”
"Marie gave so much of herself to this hospital – not for recognition, but because she genuinely cared about people.”
To date, the Auxiliaries across our sites have raised more than $16 million for hospital equipment and furniture at Niagara Health.
“We hope that her legacy inspires other people to volunteer and offer their time,” says Jarrell. “Even up to her last days, she was talking to people on the phone with the auxiliary and making sure that everything was running smoothly. The auxiliary was a big part of her life and she was so passionate about volunteering, but she was like that with us, too. She put everything into her family.”
About Niagara Health’s auxiliaries
Auxiliaries are located at each of Niagara Health’s five sites and operate the gift shops, bingo nights, vendor programs, raffles, knitting and sewing programs, and seasonal events. The St. Catharines Auxiliary was formed in 1865 and is one of the oldest auxiliaries in Canada. In the early days, volunteers canned fruit for the hospital kitchen and assisted in identifying patients in St. Catharines who required hospital care but could not afford it.
