Campaign launched to purchase digital radiology equipment for Cabri Prairie Health Care Centre
A virtual launch was hosted on January 12 to kick off an important fund-raising campaign to purchase a new digital radiology system for the Cabri Prairie Health Care Centre.
The $250,000 campaign will allow the facility to replace a long obsolete film x-ray machine and purchase a digital radiology system which is the standard technology needed in healthcare.
“The movement to digital x-ray is probably long overdue,” explained Candace Blake, the Nurse Practitioner in Cabri. “Digital x-rays are the standard of care now.”
She explained that healthcare professionals prefer to plan their treatments utilizing digital x-rays and imagery versus reading a report of a film x-ray prepared by a a radiologist.
“Digital x-rays just make the timeline so much faster. So within minutes the radiologist can see it. As soon as it is downloaded the specialist can see it. And what that means for us is we can make a plan and hopefully limit extra travel on a lot of different fronts. Which the whole goal of primary healthcare is to bring as much to you guys as we can in your home community to prevent any extra travel or repeat exposure.”
And while there are only an average of 247 x-rays per year performed in Cabri, many imaging appointments are already occurring in larger centres where physicians and specialists can access the digital images they need.
Blake noted the new equipment will change the workload significantly.
“The number of x-rays we’re doing annual in Cabri will probably quadruple,” she said.
“The reason that our number is surprisingly low for how many x-rays were probably done in Cabri last year is because a lot of more fine X-rays or things that are harder to look for require a digital film.”
She added that newly trained radiographers reading x-rays no longer study film, and many are not familiar with how to use them. They also can’t manipulate film like they can digital to get the best quality of image.
“So for a lot of x-rays, to prevent having duplication of exposure to radiation, travel is needed to go to a digital x-ray.”
“Digital’s not new, its been along a long time, and it would have been great if we had it a long time ago. But the movement to it means that we’re going to be able to maintain service and to help you guys stay in your communities a little bit longer.”
Larissa Gader, Health Services Manager at the Prairie Health Care Centre, also shared the importance of the new equipment. She was a former lab technician in Cabri so she has first hand knowledge of the equipment and the need for improvements.
“The problem that we have, I remember when I was working there, that machine is outdated. They’re no longer making parts ( for it), we actually kind of beg, borrow and steal from other places that have parts. So I guess that’s a big reason why a new x-ray machine is needed.”
She added they also have to utilize an old x-ray image processor, and that it is hard to maintain chemical levels needed in the development process. And obviously film does not provide the clarity of resolution needed to properly see the image, so digital equipment allows practitioners the ability to make much better diagnosis with the higher resolution.
The campaign kicked off with a pair of significant $25,000 donations.
Jim Moen from the
Cabri Lions Club made the special announcement the club was making a $25,000 pledge towards the fundraising effort. The Lions gratefully acknowledge the support of SWT who is the major sponsor of their Lions Farm Project, so their ongoing support helped the Cabri Lions Club make this pledge.
Cabri Mayor David Gossard announced that the Town of Cabri will also be putting $25,000 into the campaign. He explained that the town’s contribution will not require a tax increase to make, as the funds come from the sale of the previously town owned strip mall in the community. Previous donations from this sale were made to the handibus, the rink project, the community hall, and now some is being put into into x-ray machine
“We are very excited about this project, and we’ll continue to support and help where we can,” Gossard said during the virtual meeting.
Jim Dekowny, Executive Director of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation, acknowledged a virtual launch is not the traditional way to kick off a campaign, but in the COVID era this was a neat way to unveil the fundraiser.
He noted the $250,000 campaign getting a $50,000 start was an impressive way to launch the fundraising efforts.
“I think its just a real feather in the caps of people in the Cabri and surrounding area to put $50,000 into a $250,000 total. So we’re off to the races,” Dekowny said.
He added that if the community goes above and beyond the fund-raising total, any excess funds will be utilized for healthcare in Cabri and would be directed to other needs at the Prairie Health Care Centre.
Letters explaining the campaign were delivered to a variety of groups in Cabri in advance of last Tuesday’s campaign launch. The campaign will now shift to the Cabri Hospital Auxiliary volunteer base who will be reaching out to individuals and businesses to keep the campaign momentum moving forward.
Individuals interested in following the progress of the campaign are invited to join the Cabri Digital X-ray Fundraiser group on Facebook.