EVENING TO REMEMBER
Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots raises $1.7 million for PCH equipment
More than $1.7 million raised for PCH Foundation.
Gordon MacFarlane was a normal, healthy teenager, with plans and dreams for the future, before his world came crashing down.
“I got ulcerated colitis when I was 15-years-old and I managed to get it kind of under control, but eventually I needed major surgery and had my colon removed,” said MacFarlane, who attended the 10th annual Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots fundraiser Saturday night at Credit Union Place.
After two major surgeries in 2003 and 2007 to remove his lower intestine and then stretch and expand his small intestine, there were more hurdles to come.
In 2005, MacFarlane needed a life-saving liver transplant.
“Before this surgery happened it was a mental struggle as I waited for about five years for a donor to come along. With my disease, and at the time, this liver transplant would come from someone that had passed away.”
MacFarlane juggled his time in and out of Summerside’s Prince County Hospital and a hospital in Halifax.
“One of the things I noticed at the Prince County Hospital was how clean, bright and friendly the staff were. I felt like I was almost at home. I’ve had nothing but great experiences at the PCH as an inpatient, in the emergency room, and as an outpatient.”
MacFarlane has not only been a patient and a donor.
He later joined the PCH Foundation’s board of directors so he can give back to the hospital that gave him a second chance at life.
“I always try to volunteer and give back to the community, and the hospital foundation is near and dear to my heart,” he said. “The hospital is the centrepiece in the community, our foundation aims to raise money every year for medical equipment to save and improve lives.”
This year’s Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots saw a total of $1,701,041 raised to purchase medical equipment for the PCH.
What began as an idea for a dinner 10 years ago has expanded to include a live auction, guest speakers and entertainment. It is now the largest annual fundraising event held for the PCH Foundation, having raised a total of $7,122,857 in its 10 years.
More than 1,400 tickets were sold for this year’s event, which had over 100 volunteers.
“We’re not a big province, but we open our hearts and we are generous,” said Liz Maynard, vice-president of the PCH Foundation’s volunteer board of directors.
“I thank Warren Ellis, the founder and presenter of Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots, along with his family (wife Marlene, son’s Brody and Josh) because they do a tremendous amount of work to make this event happen, along with the donors and volunteers.”
This year, funds raised will go towards re-fitting the X-Ray room at PCH.
The large-scale replacement project will give Islanders the chance to access the best X-ray equipment.
“Every six to eight years the equipment becomes outdated, so this is a moving target. We want to attract doctors to the hospital and also want to keep existing doctors here, and if you happen to get ill you want the best and latest equipment,” said Ellis.
“This hospital is one of the best, it’s on the leading edge because of its medical equipment. And for the major donors this is their night to sing.”
Major donors this year included $15,000 from the Rotary Golf Tournament, presented by Blair Dunn, $37,745 from the PCH Auxiliary, presented by Marnie Noye, $100,000 from Duffy Construction, presented by Robert Duffy, $250,000 from J.D. Irving Ltd., presented by Robert Irving, and finally $1 million from the provincial government over the next four years.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have Warren Ellis and his family, the volunteers and donors that make this all possible,” said MacFarlane.
“I’ve always tried to live with gratitude for the gift that I received, so tonight we get to celebrate how fortunate we are to have this hospital because every day I wake thankful to be alive.”