Boston Pizza South Kids Cards supporting PRHC

Thank you, Boston Pizza Peterborough South! The BP South’s Kids Card initiative in support of the PRHC Foundation continues until October 25. For a $5 donation, you can get a Kids Card loaded with 5 free kid’s meals to enjoy through June 30, 2027.

100% of funds raised through the Kids Card program at the 821 Rye St. BP location will support patient care at PRHC. You can order your Kids Card online and select Boston Pizza South for pickup. To purchase, or for more details and restrictions, please visit their website.

Keeping surgery moving at PRHC with modern anesthesia technology

Before every operation begins, there is a moment when PRHC’s surgical team pauses and asks a simple question: “May we proceed?” For PRHC’s Chief of Anesthesiology & Co-Medical Director of Surgical Services, Dr. Carla Henderson, the answer depends on having the right tools to do her job to the best of her abilities, keeping patients safe and comfortable throughout their surgery. She tells us more about that below…

The operating room is ready. The surgical team is in position. The patient is prepared.

But before the surgeon can begin, they ask: “May we proceed?” The answer comes from me.

My name is Dr. Carla Henderson, and I am Chief of Anesthesiology and Co-Medical Director of Surgical Services at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

By the time we reach this moment, I have reviewed the patient’s health information and created an anesthetic plan tailored to their individual needs. Because anesthesia is never one-size-fits-all.

Once I am confident the patient is safely under anesthesia, I give the surgeon the go-ahead. But my work has only begun. Throughout the operation, the surgeon focuses on the procedure. I focus on the patient as a whole—every breath, every heartbeat and how their body is responding to surgery.

To do that, I depend on the anesthesia machine beside me. It delivers anesthesia, supports the patient’s breathing and provides vital information that helps me adjust their care and respond to changes within seconds.

Across PRHC’s 12 operating rooms and Labour & Delivery Unit, anesthesia care supports thousands of procedures each year—from planned surgeries to lifesaving emergencies. That means our anesthesia machines are working hard, every day. After 13 years of continuous use, however, our current machines are nearing the end of their lifespan.

Every machine must pass a thorough safety check before it can be used. Increasingly, our aging machines are failing these checks and must be pulled from service. When too few machines are available, an operating room may not be able to open. That can mean surgeries are delayed. For a patient who has prepared themselves and their family for surgery, that can mean more uncertainty and more waiting. Aging equipment should not stand between a patient and the operation they need.

Replacing our anesthesia machines would do more than help ensure PRHC’s operating rooms can continue to run reliably. New machines would also bring greater precision and more personalized anesthesia care to every patient.

Technology has advanced considerably since our current machines entered service. To help bridge that gap, we have added a small number of separate monitoring devices. These devices provide information about how a patient’s brain and muscles are responding during surgery, including when medication used to relax their muscles is wearing off. That information helps us adjust anesthesia and breathing support throughout the operation. But we only have a few of these devices, so we prioritize them for patients with the most complex needs. New anesthesia machines would have these capabilities built in, giving every patient access to advanced monitoring in every operating room.

This matters more than ever. Many of the patients coming to PRHC for surgery are older and living with complex health conditions. They can be more sensitive to anesthesia, and their needs can change quickly during an operation. The more information we have, the better we can respond. With better monitoring, my colleagues and I can make more informed adjustments and tailor each patient’s care more carefully. Those decisions can help a patient wake more smoothly, breathe independently sooner and begin their recovery in the best possible condition.

Because my goal is not simply to help a patient through an operation. It’s to help them return to the life they came to surgery to reclaim. To walk without pain after a knee replacement. To go home with hope following cancer surgery. To hold a new baby after an urgent C-section.

But before a patient can begin that journey, their operation must be able to go ahead. That is why replacing PRHC’s aging anesthesia machines matters—and why donor support will be so important in making this new equipment possible. It will help ensure that when a patient is ready, the surgical team is in position and someone asks, “May we proceed?”, the answer can be yes.

You can make a donation online and select to direct your gift to Surgical Innovation, or for more information, please call 705-876-5000.

Dig out your green thumb for the Peterborough Houseplant & Garden Social

As the air turns crisp and gardens settle in for the season, there’s still plenty of green to celebrate at the Peterborough Houseplant & Garden Social, Sunday, October 18 from 10am-4pm at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club. The PRHC Foundation is very grateful to once again be the beneficiary of this event. 

The fall market will bring together more than 25 local vendors offering tropical plants, plant care essentials, pottery, art, jewellery, candles, baked goods, specialty drinks and more. Wander, browse and find something new for your indoor jungle or a thoughtful gift. There’s a free plant swap, an interactive bingo game and limited swag bags to take home. Entry is just $5 cash and includes a ticket for a raffle basket. Bring your green thumb, your curiosity and enjoy!

Bellys Lakeside Bar + Restaurant cancer care long weekend fundraiser

Make the most of the your last long weekend of summer by heading to Bellys Lakeside Bar + Restaurant in Buckhorn. Starting Thursday, September 3, there will be four days of live music, delicious food, beautiful lakefront views and plenty of summer vibes. Even better? Throughout the long weekend, Bellys will offer food and drink specials with a portion of proceeds to be donated to the PRHC Foundation in support of cancer care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

So, grab your friends, gather the family and make your way to the lake. Drive in, boat in, cool down by the water, soak up the sunshine and enjoy the music. Whether you’re there for the food, the views, the tunes or simply one last taste of summer, you’ll be helping to make a difference for cancer patients and their families from across our region. And if you can’t make it there, but still want to help out, please consider making a donation to Bellys’ fundraising page.

Thank you, Bellys Lakeside Bar + Restaurant for choosing to support regional cancer care and for turning a fun summer weekend into an opportunity to give back to our community. 

Donors are helping PRHC mix up better food, faster, for better care

Behind each meal served at PRHC is a team that understands that good, healthy food is about more than nourishment. It’s also about comfort alongside care, or even a reminder of home during what could be a challenging time away from a patient’s regular routine and loved ones.
Every day, PRHC’s Nutrition Services Department prepares three meals for up to 480 patients. For the hardworking staff, including two production cooks, every minute matters in getting nutritious meals out to everyone on time.

The department runs on a carefully planned schedule, with each team dedicated to breakfast, lunch or dinner. In just 90 minutes, they assemble a whole round of meals, while accommodating specialized dietary requirements.

Providing food made from scratch whenever possible is a point of pride, explains Christy Merritt, Manager of Nutrition Services. “It’s really empowering for us to know that we’re able to provide patients with homecooked food, made with care.”

That commitment has been made easier thanks to donor generosity. A new, $32,200 donor-funded commercial mixer has transformed food production in the hospital kitchen. With four speeds and three interchangeable paddles, the mixer has doubled the number of batches that can be prepared at once, cutting production time in half for recipes like mashed potatoes and muffin batter. It’s also eliminated work that would have been done more slowly by hand or in a smaller mixer.

Production cook Molly Lonsberry notices the impact of working with faster, better equipment every day. “It feels like we’re moving forwards,” she says. “We’re so appreciative of having this mixer.”

The time saved means the team can work more efficiently, stay on schedule, spend time on other tasks, and create new recipes to support patient health and healing.

For more information or to donate, please call 705-876-5000 or click here.

Kids eat FREE for PRHC at Boston Pizza South this September

This September, families can enjoy a little extra fun while supporting exceptional healthcare close to home. Throughout September, Boston Pizza South in Peterborough is inviting families to take part in its Kids Card promotion. For a $5 donation, you’ll receive a Kids Card loaded with 5 FREE kids meals to enjoy after September.

Even better, when you purchase your Kids Card for pickup at Boston Pizza South at 821 Rye St., 100% of the funds raised will be donated to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation. That means your $5 donation can help treat the kids to five savoury meals while also benefitting other families from across our region, because donations raised for the PRHC Foundation help fund the state-of-the-art equipment and technology that PRHC’s doctors, nurses and staff need to continue providing world-class care.

There’s even more family fun happening at Boston Pizza South this September! On Wednesday, September 2 from 5pm-7pm, families are invited to their Back to School Bash. Kids can enjoy face painting, balloons, glitter tattoos, a chalk station and the chance to decorate their own pencil case while supplies last. The PRHC Foundation team will also be on site and we’d love to see you there.

It’s a fun way to kick off the school year, enjoy time together as a family and support healthcare close to home. Just remember, only Kids Cards purchased for pickup at Boston Pizza South at 821 Rye St. will have the proceeds donated to the PRHC Foundation.

Ready to make September a little more delicious while giving back to our community? Visit the Boston Pizza website to order your Kids Card and see complete terms and restrictions.

The Speak Easy Cafe is serving up support for patient care

We’re grateful to The Speak Easy Cafe for finding a delicious way to support patient care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre!

Located on George St. in downtown Peterborough, The Speak Easy has added the PRHC Heartbeat Omelette to its menu. You can build your own with your favourite ingredients and there’s something extra special about it: $3 from every omelette sold will be donated to the PRHC Foundation to benefit the Campaign for PRHC. It’s a very tasty way to enjoy a great meal while giving back to our regional hospital and the patients and families who rely on it!

The support, community spirit and awareness created through local businesses like The Speak Easy Cafe are such an important part of our collective efforts to transform healthcare in our region. We can’t do it without you.