Every year, thousands of people from across Peterborough and the surrounding region are brought to the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) for lifesaving minimally invasive cardiac stenting and diagnosis.
Wanda Bergshoeff was one of those people. Four years ago, at 46 years old, on a Sunday morning in February, Wanda had a growing feeling of worry and pain. Her husband called 9-1-1 and within minutes emergency responders were at their home.
Wanda was having a heart attack. The EMS crew rushed her to PRHC, but there was no stop-over in the Emergency Department when she arrived. Wanda was taken directly to the Cardiac Cath Lab, where an interventional cardiologist was waiting. The technology in the Cath Lab and her doctor’s expertise helped save Wanda’s life.
“I could have easily died but as soon as that call was made, it was all so immediate. I didn’t have to be transported to Toronto. In my emergency, within minutes, I was in the Cath Lab receiving lifesaving care,” she says.
Wanda is quick to note that until that fateful day when she needed it, she didn’t know about the Cath Lab and how vital it is. It’s been important to her that everyone understand the critical role the Cath Lab plays in saving the lives of people from across our region every day.
In 2019, the hospital asked the PRHC Foundation to fundraise for a $3.55 million renovation and upgrade of the two existing Cath Lab suites so that experts could continue to provide world-class cardiac care and keep patients’ hearts close to home. Wanda – a donor herself – has been a wonderful ambassador for our fundraising efforts. Thank you, Wanda!
In case you missed it, watch Wanda’s video to hear her story. We’re grateful for her support and the support of countless others who made this reinvestment possible. We’re so pleased to share that the Cardiac Cath Lab upgrade is now complete!
To learn more about your impact and the completion of PRHC’s donor-funded Cath Lab renovation and upgrade, please click here.