A Swift Current couple lent a helping hand to the Children's Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan last week.

Duane and Bev Smith donated $500,000, that will go towards a Family Play Room in the Day Medicine Unit. This will supply infusion therapy for children requiring treatment on an outpatient basis.

This is not the couple's first donation to the hospital, as they made a $100,000 contribution last year.

The former CEO and owner of JayDee AgTech Duane Smith said once he saw the impact his first donation made, it only made sense for the family to contribute more.

"The whole benefits of that project (last year's project) for children, family, environment, and the fact that it was long overdue need in the province. I also had a friend from Alberta that had a very special needs child that used the Calgary Children's Hospital substantially, so I got to hear their stories of the benefits of that. When it came time this year we decided to up our contribution from the $100,000 to $500,000. It was a no brainer that it would go to the Children's Hospital Foundation," Duane Smith said Monday afternoon.

The stories that were shared with the Smith family by children that are in need of care, made a lasting impact. As Duane explains, the donation isn't about the Smith family - it's about helping the children in need.

"It's what it means to the kids and the families. We were at an event with the Children's Hospital Foundation where they had a young family and child there, they talked about effects that the facilities that they've used meant to them and how this (donation) will help fill the need that they have. My wife and I were at that event and we heard those stories and she (Bev) just broke down crying, it really tugs on the heart strings. That's what it's all about is the kids," he told SwiftCurrentOnline.

The couple was hesitant at first when the Children's Hospital Foundation wanted to go public with the family's donation, but after some thought, they decided it could be beneficial for the Children's Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan to announce the contribution.

"We saw the benefit for the Children's Hospital Foundation in the fact that they still have about $20 million more they want to raise. We hope it goes out as a challenge to other Ag producers out there, we are by far not the only ones that can contribute this. It's a significant amount, we understand that, but there are also other out there that can really step up to the plate, some can do more and some can do less but we hope others can follow suit," Duane said during a phone interview.

The family said they will always be close to the Children's Hospital Foundation moving forward and are currently trying to help the Foundation meet with other Agriculture producers, other significant business people, and private individuals to contribute to the ongoing project.

Construction on the 176-inpatient bed facility is approximately 25% complete and is scheduled to open in late 2019.