Duane Hicks
The Riverside Foundation for Health Care wants district residents to give a gift from a heart this year.
Its annual Christmas donation campaign is now underway, with this year’s focus being on raising funds for a much-needed blood coagulation analyzer—a piece of equipment that helps everyone no matter where they live in Rainy River District.
The analyzer is essential in the monitoring of individuals on blood thinners, in the investigation of possible bleeding disorders, and in helping rule out clotting episodes such as deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism.
Toni Benning, medical laboratory technologist at Riverside Health Care Facilities here, noted the lab replaces its analyzers on a seven-year schedule and the existing one needs to go.
“We like to keep up with technology, and in that seven years, technology can improve,” she explained.
“There’s new things out that are safer, faster, and better.
“We like to keep up with that, as well as make sure we have a reliable instrument that’s not going to be breaking down or malfunctioning,” Benning added.
“We’re kind of in a remote area so we need this to be up and running all of the time,” she stressed.
“It’s not as if we’re in Toronto and we can send down the street to another hospital as a back-up.”
Benning said reliable equipment is vital for the lab here.
“If somebody comes to emerg and they’re bleeding, and we want to find out why, that’s one of the tests they’re going to order,” she noted.
“It’s important I don’t say, ‘Sorry, it’s broke down. We can’t give you that [test].’”
Benning added the current analyzer actually is past its seven-year replacement date, but still is being used because it’s been quite reliable.
“We haven’t had any issues with it but there’s starting to be little things,” she noted.
“So we don’t want to wait until we’re stuck.”
Due to advancements in technology, a new analyzer definitely will be an improvement over the current one.
Benning said it will have new safety features, including not requiring staff to take the lids off blood samples to do tests.
This is because the new analyzer will have the ability to pierce through the test tube caps—reducing the risk of infection.
It also will be faster and free up more time for the technologists to do their work.
A new analyzer will benefit all district residents.
Although the lab is based at La Verendrye Hospital here in Fort Frances, Benning noted it also runs tests for the Emo and Rainy River health centres and clinics.
Last year alone, the lab ran more than 4,000 tests on the current analyzer, with blood samples coming from Fort Frances, Emo, and Rainy River, she added.
Benning said she’s excited the Foundation has chosen lab equipment as the focus for its Christmas campaign—a first for her department.
The Christmas campaign has been a very successful means to help provide the best health care for district residents over the years.
Last Christmas, for instance, district residents proved their generosity by enabling the Foundation to update and renovate the existing shower room in the Special Care Unit at Rainycrest—a $34,000 project.
Foundation director Samantha Manty said this year’s campaign is even more ambitious.
“The community is always so supportive of the Foundation, and we’re so grateful for all that they do,” she remarked.
“But we’re hoping this year, they’ll give very generously because the cost of this piece of equipment is $70,000.
“It’s a pretty big piece of equipment,” Manty conceded. “[So] we’re hoping people will give a gift from the heart and help kick-start this fundraiser for the lab.
“Christmas is a time to think of others and give, and by giving the gift of health, you’re giving a gift to our community and a gift that will benefit so many people for years to come,” Manty added.
“And, of course, this specific piece of equipment will benefit our entire district,” she stressed.
“It’s really something important.”
“This is a very significant piece of lab equipment and it is likely that you or someone that you know will benefit from one of the important tests performed by this piece of equipment,” echoed Foundation chair Kim Jo Bliss.
Donation options
A mail-out has been sent to all district residents; just fill it out and send it back to the Foundation.
Donations options include one-time donations or monthly ones.
Tax receipts will be issued for donations of more than $20, noted Manty.
But in order to apply that receipt to your 2016 taxes, you’ll need to make the donation prior to Dec. 31.
“We definitely do donor recognition so if anyone is extremely generous this holiday season, donations of a $1,000 or more end up on the donor wall,” Manty said.
“They get a permanent plaque of their choice up on the donor wall.
“There’s a donor wall at all four facilities, so they get a choice of where they would like it to go,” she added.
“It’s a really great gift,” she noted. “You can honour or remember somebody with a nice gift or permanent plaque.
“If businesses want to get on board and give a generous donation, we would recognize them in the same way,” Manty said.
“But every dollar makes a difference. A $5 gift, a $1,000 gift—they’re all going towards a good cause,” she stressed.
“They’re all making a big difference towards our goal.”
If you did not get an envelope and pledge card from the Foundation in the mail, you can write a cheque to the Riverside Foundation for Health Care and put “blood coagulation analyzer” on the memo line.
That way, Manty said the Foundation will know the donation is specifically for that.
Or if you’d like a pledge card, give Manty a call and she’ll send out another one.
Anyone with further questions can contact Manty at 274-4803 or via e-mail at s.manty@rhcf.on.ca
