A $1.1 million cheque has been given to Grey Bruce Health Services (GBHS) in the campaign to bring a new CT scanner to the hospital in Saugeen Shores.
The cheque was presented by the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation to GBHS CEO Gary Sims on Feb. 16, bringing the “Bring Tom to Town” campaign closer to its $3 million goal.
Currently the campaign is at $2.2 million, with $100,000 of this amount coming from a disbursement from the Foundation’s Endowment Fund.
The CT scanner fundraising campaign launched on Oct. 20, 2021 and has received significant local support.
Executive Director of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation Tracy Murray says a large amount of the funds donated came from their Christmas campaign in 2021, as well as from residents and local businesses.
Murray adds having a new CT scanner at the hospital in Saugeen Shores would fill a gap in services.
“If you look at the area of Bruce county, we do have CT scanners in Kincardine and Walkerton, we have our sister hospital in Owen Sound which our patients are set to when there is a need for that service and after speaking with physicians and nurses in the E.R. department, they are sending patients every single shift to the CT scanner in Owen Sound,” says Murray. “Not only is it not convenient for patients but that time spent arranging that travel could be life saving time that could be captured here in Southampton at our hospital, if we had a CT scanner here it could save vital hours and minutes of time for our patients.”
Murray explains for the CT scanner campaign, GBHS takes care of the tendering process in purchasing the equipment and getting the installation completed, while the foundation funds the needs of GBHS.
“Our part is $3 million, that donation was just the first amount we were able to transfer over, we have a large sum that is committed in pledges from people who have made donations that will come in over the next two to five years towards the CT scanner, so that takes us up to that $2.2 million that we have already committed to the CT scanner. So really what we are looking to do is to be out there in the community and continuing to fundraise that remaining $800,000 and make it to the $3 million goal,” says Murray.
Anyone interested in helping out with the remaining $800,000 needed for the CT scanner can visit the Bring Tom to Town website or by calling the Foundation Office at 226-930-1114.
