Shining example

There undoubtedly were a lot of smiles around La Verendrye Hospital last Thursday afternoon as the long-awaited and eagerly-anticipated CT scanner finally arrived.
Yes, it took longer than expected to get the machine here, but blame that on government red tape more than anything. And don’t forget the room housing the CT scanner, as well as an adjacent one, had to be readied and hospital staff trained on how to use the new equipment.
Maybe it’s human nature to grumble about what was taking so long, but let’s remember the real story here: a state-of-the-art piece of medical technology—the best of its kind in Northwestern Ontario, in fact—will be up and running here next week thanks to the $1.5 million raised by district residents and organizations in just short six months between October, 2006 and March, 2007.
It truly was an incredible feat—and one that’s now on the verge of bearing the fruit of improved health care for everyone living in Rainy River District.
One cannot overstate the benefit of having the Toshiba Aquilion 64-slice CT scanner here at La Verendrye, especially for those who have had to endure the inconvenience of travelling to Thunder Bay or Winnipeg for a CT scan in the past.
It also means more immediate—and perhaps life-saving—care in cases of emergencies.
A lot of people deserve a lot of credit for making the CT scanner a reality, from those who spearheaded the “Just Imagine” campaign to the volunteers on the Riverside Foundation for Health Care’s special events committee who work so hard year in and year out to stage creative fundraisers to help ensure quality health care “close to home.”
The CT scanner is more than a much-needed machine, however. It stands as a shining example of what Rainy River District can accomplish when we all pull together.