Mission accomplished. Well, exceeded, actually.
With five weeks to go, the Foundation of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance was a full $1 million short of its goal; with just one week left, it sat $250,000 short of the finish line.
But the people behind the $6.9 Million Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Renewal Campaign ended with a flurry, raising more than $7 million; $7,062,761 to be exact.
The four-year campaign to replace aging diagnostic imaging equipment at CKHA’s two campuses pedaled across the finish line May 28.
Mary Lou Crowley, executive director of the foundation, said one anonymous donor stepped forward and contributed $200,000.
“Our momentum over the last few weeks has been absolutely tremendous. Between the wonderful anonymous donor who came through last week with $200,000, to the Final Push bicycle ride which raised an amazing $100,626 on its own, the energy and enthusiasm this community has displayed is more than we could ever hope for.”
Crowley credited the hard work of Dave Depencier and Greg Hetherington, co-chairs of the relaunch of the campaign beginning last August, as well as honourary campaign chair Andy Fantuz, with raising awareness and funding through hard work.
“Their passion and drive was amazing,” she said.
So too was the support from the community, Crowley added.
“All corners of Chatham-Kent replied and rallied together,” she said. “That’s what it was all about. People recognized the need and supported us.”
Greg Aarssen, chair of the hospital board, said board members are ecstatic over the campaign’s success.
“We are so proud of the work Mary Lou and her team did in reaching their goal and exceeding it,” he said, adding success occurs “if you have a good plan with a very big need and you turn it over to a team that is expert at getting the word out.”
Aarssen also commended the support from the people of this municipality.
“Chatham-Kent is a very giving community. They step up to the plate every time,” he said.
The Foundation of CKHA Future in Focus fundraising campaign was started in 2014 to finance the purchase of 17 new pieces of diagnostic imaging equipment for CKHA. Since then, 15 pieces have been purchased and installed.
The last piece in the DI puzzle is the biggest – a new CT scan unit.
Crowley said it should be installed by the end of September.
“State-of-the-art diagnostic imaging equipment enables CKHA’s health care professionals to diagnose patients here locally. Care closer to home provided at our two sites is a good thing,” said Lori Marshall, President and CEO, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, in a media release. “The people of Chatham-Kent deserve this equipment, and I am so proud at how they came together to raise the funds to bring it to their community.”
Governments do not fund new capital equipment expenditures for hospitals, so it is the mandate of hospital foundations to raise money from organizations, individuals and businesses to purchase these necessary items.
Although the campaign is over, the community can continue to support the Foundation of CKHA and the cause of making health care better by visiting www.ourfutureisinfocus.com.
