CT campaign reboot takes place
More than 60 special hospital donors, board members, volunteers and staff held a celebration at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum Wednesday evening, November 23, to celebrate and learn more about the Almonte General Hospital’s CT scanner project being approved to go to tender by the provincial Ministry of Health.
Hosted by CTV Ottawa’s Leanne Cusack, she and Hospital President & CEO Mary Wilson Trider discussed the history of the project, the need for CT in Almonte, the current project timeline, and the role community support played in the approval process.
According to Trider, letters of commitment from the AGH FVM Foundation board of directors were submitted at each stage of the Ministry of Health’s rigorous approval process. Each had to confirm that board members had faith the $2.2 million required could be raised in the community. Even when the amount went up to $3.2 million late last year, the Foundation board was still confident that, working with the community, the amount can be raised in support of the vital diagnostic tool, now considered standard of care.
Trider also told Cusack the Hospital is looking for a ‘turn-key solution’. She went on to describe that as one which identifies a vendor that not only provides the imaging technology but also the necessary renovations, installation and training of staff.
Attendees at the reception were excited to hear the tender process closes at the end of November 2022. Then, after several months of evaluation, including site visits to see the proposed equipment working in a clinical setting, the preferred vendor will be selected by the end of March 2023. Trider went on to say, “It is felt the project will take 12-18 months to complete.”
Chair of the Foundation Board, Rob Scott, thanked all donors for their support of the CT project to date. “We have raised $1.2 million and have approximately $200,000 in pledges towards the overall total. The Hospital plans to move forward with the funds already raised and the Foundation continue working with the community to raise the remaining $1.8 million,” said Scott.
The guests included Art and Helen Levi, Fairview Manor volunteer Rolly Larmour, Honourary Co-Chairs of the ‘Put Yourself in the Picture’ Campaign Rhonda and Paul Virgin along with their daughter Becky Littau, CT Cabinet Campaign Chair Seth Richards, CTV Ottawa’s Joel Haslam, The Sterling owner and new Foundation Board member Scott Campbell and local realtor Joanne Beaton. Almonte Riverside Inn owner and new Foundation Board member Rob Prior was also there and spoke about his own personal incident needing a CT scan in 2018 after falling on the ice during his son’s hockey practise. Organizations represented because of their ongoing support of the Hospital included the Almonte Civitan Club, the Hub Rebound, and the Land O’Lake Tunis Shriners as well as Town Council represented by Councillors Bev Holmes, Mary-Lou Souter and Jane Torrence.
To learn about the campaign to bring CT Scan to Almonte or to make a donation, visit: www.almontehospitalfoundation.com
