By Hazel Smith, Bruce Peninsula Press
Thanks to the recently confirmed $50,000 contribution by the Municipality of Northern Bruce, advanced x-ray equipment will be available at the Lion’s Head Hospital by early summer.
On September 13, 2021 April Patry, Executive Director of the Bruce Peninsula Hospitals Foundation, together with Foundation Directors Dr Brian Taylor and Kathy Beattie, and Barb Harron, Manager, Medical Imaging and Cardiology, made a formal presentation to Council outlining the strong case for replacing the aging x-ray equipment with state of the art diagnostic x-ray tools. At 17 years old the current equipment is well past its best-before date and leaves local medical professionals at a treatment and care disadvantage.
The presentation was one part of a multifaceted campaign aimed at raising $1,020,000 to purchase and install two replacement machines, one for each for the Lion’s Head and Wiarton Hospitals.
The Foundation representatives made an appeal to Council for $100,000 over two years. The second contribution will need to be ratified by the new Council.
The Municipality has a long history of offering serious support to local health care. Past contributions have included $350,000 over 2003-2007 to the “Today’s Spirit, Tomorrow’s Care” campaign for the redevelopment of the Lion’s Head Hospital, an initiative which included the purchase and installation of the current x-ray equipment.
Other investments include $100,000 to the improvement of regional cancer and cardiac care as part of the 2014 – 2018 “Hospital Campaign”. As recently as 2019 the Municipality contributed $20,000 to the MRI campaign.
Patry reports with obvious delight that with this significant contribution and future pledge, the campaign has reached its fundraising goal. The new equipment is expected to arrive at the Lion’s Head hospital by early summer.
On average more that 2,000 x-rays are performed annually at the Lion’s Head Hospital. The new equipment has a portable capacity which means the option of bedside imaging. Other benefits include lower dose radiation as well as higher quality images with immediate physician access.
Mayor McIver said simply, “This is an excellent opportunity for the Municipality to invest in the future of our medical services.”
