The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary continued their tradition of giving on Friday with a gift to the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation when several Auxiliary volunteers handed over the proceeds raised at the 2018 County Festival of Trees held at Isaiah Tubbs Resort November 23-25.
Patrons supporting the Auxiliary’s 11th annual Festival of Trees helped raise a record-setting $50,000 toward the purchase of a new pediatric/neonatal monitor for use at the County Hospital. The monitor cost $22,668 and will serve the needs of infants and young children that are brought into the Emergency Department for care. The equipment is now in use at PECM Hospital. In 2017/18, 3,790 patients under the age of 18 were seen at PECMH.
The remaining $27,332 of the $50,000 raised will be directed toward the purchase of additional priority medical equipment for use at the hospital such as colonoscopes and gastroscopes used in the hospital’s regional Endoscopy Department. PECM Hospital is the low-risk endoscopy centre for Quinte Health Care and provides endoscopic screening services to more than 3,000 patients each year.
Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECM Hospital Foundation reports fundraising for this year’s equipment campaign is rolling right along as the organization works to reach its $255,000 equipment goal. The Foundation plays a critical role in providing funding for essential, specialized equipment. Last year there were over 40,000 patient visits to the hospital. The Emergency Department alone cared for over 50 people, on average, each day. Support from donors, like the Auxiliary, is so important because medical equipment is not paid for by the government. Hospitals need their communities to help equip them, through donations to the Foundation.
Pictured here with the pediatric monitor now in use at PECMH, from left at back: Libby Smellie (Auxiliary Communications Volunteer), Janet Chandler (Auxiliary Volunteer), Lisa Mowbray (PECMH Patient Services Manager/Hospital Site Lead), Peggy Payne (QHC Board Member), Fran Donaldson (Foundation Board Member), Shannon Coull (Foundation Executive Director), Dorothy Vincent (Auxiliary Volunteer), Jane Davis, RN in the ER), Pat Evans (Auxiliary President), Dr. Kim Haigh, Art Hewer (Auxiliary Vice President), Dr. Jeff di Tomasso, Sharon Morcom (Auxiliary Volunteer), Jack Starkey (Auxiliary Director of Fundraising Projects/FOT Chairperson), Bev Thompson (Auxiliary Volunteer), Marthe Robertson (Foundation Campaign Manager), Liz Jones (Auxiliary Past President). At front: Briar Boyce (Foundation Communications Co-ordinator), Monica Alyea (Foundation Chairperson), Cathy Starkey (Auxiliary Volunteer), Leo Finnegan (Foundation Past Chairperson). Submitted photo.
“This year’s equipment list focuses on securing medical equipment for most of the departments at PECMH,” said Coull. “Some of our efforts centre on replacing scopes used for colon and gastro tests as well as fundraising for two new ventilators and a transport monitor used in the Emergency Department. A new ultrasound stretcher is required and nine infusion pumps are needed at our hospital right now. The organizers of the Festival of Trees, under the leadership of Jack Starkey have worked so hard to make this annual event an important County tradition that ushers in the Christmas season. The volunteers have also worked hard to maintain a family-oriented event, with fun activities for everyone.”
Earlier this year, the Auxiliary stepped forward and committed to purchasing $34,981 worth of the supportive (non-medical) equipment from this year’s Foundation equipment list. This includes equipment like ceiling lifts and stretchers. This gift, made on behalf of the Festival of Trees, is over and above their initial commitment to the Foundation. The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary’s cumulative giving total to the Foundation now sits at 1,514,912.87 since 1998. The volunteer group reached the Humanitarian level on the PECMHF donor wall three years ago.
The 12th annual Festival of Trees is slated for November 29 to December 1, 2019 and will again be held at Isaiah Tubbs Resort.
