Hospital foundation fundraises for much needed x-ray machine BY AMY HOGUE
PHOTO BY JASON CODE Smiths Falls is truly the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, shown here in this amazing photo taken by Hometown News photographer, Jason Code, on Aug. 11.
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When the Smiths Falls Community Hospital Foundation board members received word of a critical need at the Smiths Falls campus of the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital, they were up for the challenge. The goal: to raise $400,000 to replace an aging x-ray machine that had reached the end of its lifespan. The only catch is that the funds need to be raised within a very short time period. Foundation chair, Shawn Pankow, explained the hospital approached the board of directors in June with news of the need to replace the x-ray machine, one of the most used pieces of equipment in the hospital. “The hospital indicated it had a $400,000 replacement cost and the need was almost immediate,” Pankow said. “The foundation tries to respond to the most critical needs of the hospital and in this situation we decided we would make it a top priority.” The Smiths Falls Community Hospital Foundation works with the community to raise funds for special-
ized medical equipment and to modernize inpatient and outpatient facilities in Smiths Falls. Fundraising takes place through events, and donations from businesses and members of the community. Smiths Falls Community Hospital Foundation Executive Director, Lise Smith, explained that the foundation really bridges the gap between what the ministry will fund and what the community hospital needs to operate. The hospital foundation is not eligible for grants that other organizations might be able to take advantage of, and are reliant solely on the generosity of donors to fund much needed medical equipment for the community. “The government doesn’t fund the capital equipment that our community needs,” Smith explained, adding that keeping specialized equipment in the hospital “brings the specialists here for the people of the town.” The new x-ray machine will feature updated technology, and Smith described it as being a critical piece of equipment, one that serves every department in the hospital.
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Smith said that to date there has been significant headway made in fundraising but there’s still more work to do. A weeklong campaign at Andress’ Your Independent Grocer as well as private donations helped to raise funds, while a five year pledge of $4,000 a year for a total of $20,000 from the Rotary Club of Smiths Falls has also made an impact. Donations have also come from a combination of Smiths Falls’ businesses and regular donors, and the support is much appreciated. “We’re really lucky… they just step up every time,” Smith said. Donations to the hospital foundation can take place in single payments, or donations over a period of time. Learn more about becoming a donor and supporting the purchase of the x-ray machine by visiting www.sfchfoundation.com or contacting Lise Smith at 613-283-9743 or sfchfoundation@bellnet.ca. “It’s really an appeal to the community,” Pankow said, “This is a vital need for an important piece of equipment that all of us need, or could need in the future.”
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