Historic $5 million donation to Cardiac Care

Dr. Warren Ball, Lesley Heighway, Jim Neill and Dr. Peter McLaughlin

PRHC has been supported by a tradition of philanthropy since its beginning. Now, a generous community member has stepped forward to honour that tradition and inspire others by making the largest donation in PRHC Foundation history: A $5 million commitment to PRHC’s Cardiac Centre of Excellence from donor Jim Neill.

Mr. Neill’s gift will have a transformational impact on patient care now and in the future, explains Dr. Warren Ball, PRHC Interventional Cardiologist & Head of Division, Cardiology. “This gift will help keep our hearts here today by investing in significantly improved technology,” he says, “and when you add state-of-the-art technology to our exceptional patient care, his investment will empower us to pursue our vision for tomorrow.”

Dr. Ball continues, “While the planning for this exciting opportunity is in the early stages, we’re committed to ensuring our patients have access to the finest, most comprehensive cardiac care available, right here at PRHC.”

Lesley Heighway, PRHC Foundation President & CEO, agrees. “As Dr. Ball said, our hospital has exciting plans for the future of cardiac care. It will take the collective support of donors to stoke the flames of innovation,” says Lesley, “but it takes the support of a visionary leader to ignite the spark. Mr. Neill’s incredible $5 million investment in cardiac care will do just that. We’re so grateful for his gift.”

For a time, Mr. Neill was based in Toronto where he lived minutes from multiple hospitals. He realized the significance of having a world-class Health Centre to serve a regional population when he moved back to the Peterborough area.

“I really appreciated how different it is here,” he says, “but you need the same care. I wanted to be part of that process of providing very timely cardiac care close to home. And they’ve got such great plans for the future, I thought I could make a contribution and be part of that.”

Inspiring others to join him in contributing to the healthcare of the region – no matter the size of the donation – is also a major consideration for Mr. Neill. “I hope that my donation will encourage and inspire others, as donors who have come before have inspired me,” he says.

Learn more about how to make an impact on Cardiac Care at PRHC.

The charitable opportunity with appreciated stocks

Seedlings at various stages of growth

When it comes time to support your favourite charities, do you instinctively reach for your chequebook or cash? Instead, consider the stocks in your portfolio that have generated substantial gains over the past few years.

Here are three great reasons that a stock donation may be right for you:

1. You can reduce capital gains.

Many investors have stocks they love and that have appreciated over many years. This sets the stage for capital gains when you sell. By transferring the stock to charity, you are eliminating the capital gains tax. As well, you are eligible to deduct the full fair market value of the stock you donated from your income taxes.

2. You can give more by donating the stock than by selling it and donating the proceeds.

Since you’re avoiding the capital gains tax when you donate a security, your stock gift will go further and make an even bigger impact because 100% of the stock value will provide meaningful support to the charity. And you’ll be eligible to deduct the full fair market value of the donated stock from your income taxes.

3. You can donate stock to the PRHC Foundation without headaches.

Gifts of stock are easy to make. Consult your financial advisor to decide which investments make the most financial and philanthropic impact. Reach out to our office or download our simple one-page Transfer of Securities form. You may also wish to discuss your gift intention and areas of care that are meaningful to you and your family.

Now is a great time to talk with your advisor and the charity you have in mind. To be eligible for a charitable deduction for a tax year, donations of stock need to be received by the end of the calendar year.

For more information, please contact Lesley Heighway, President & CEO, at 705-743-2121, ext. 3859 or send her an email.

Fundraising Spotlight: Together we’re working to keep our hearts here

PRHC's Interventional Cardiologists pose in the Cardiac Cath Lab

PRHC’s Interventional Cardiologists (from left to right) Dr. Katy Shufelt, Dr. Warren Ball and Dr. Phong Nguyen-Ho want to say a big “thank you!” to everyone who has donated so far to replace and upgrade PRHC’s regional Cardiac Cath Lab.

Through generous community events, mail appeals, business partnerships, and organization and individual donations, you’ve helped us to keep world-class, lifesaving cardiac care close to home!

Learn more about the Cardiac Cath Lab.

Ushering in a new era of healthcare at PRHC

Cardiac doctor hugging patient at bedside

So much has been happening at Peterborough Regional Health Centre! We’re sharing a few of the highlights as we reflect on the last year and look ahead to the future of healthcare at PRHC…

For so many of us, the pandemic highlighted just how fortunate we are to have outstanding healthcare available in our region when we need it most.

Throughout COVID-19, your hospital’s role in our region became increasingly important, especially during the third wave when a critical care surge threatened to overwhelm Intensive Care Units across Ontario.

PRHC served as the lead for the five hospitals in our region and was the receiving hospital for patient transfers. The Health Centre ramped up its critical care capacity and over five months, accepted 76 patient transfers from outside our region to support the system-wide response to the surge.

As vaccination rates rose and case counts trended downwards, PRHC began ramping up non-urgent services and adjusted its visiting policy. No matter what comes, however, your hospital continues to manage and carefully allocate resources within this challenging healthcare landscape while continuing to advocate for the current and future patient care needs of PRHC, our community and our region.

Peterborough has become one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, with one of the oldest populations. During the past five years, PRHC has seen increases in its patient volumes and the level of care those patients need. In response, the Health Centre has expanded and enhanced programs and services as both a community hospital and a regional referral hub for our surrounding communities. Their goal and ours remains the same: to continue to bring specialized care closer to home for patients. That’s a mission that’s never been more important.

One exciting project underway is the launch of PRHC’s Clinical Information System (CIS), Epic. Launching a CIS is one of the most important transformations a hospital can make. It’s been almost a decade in the works at PRHC. Epic will enable seamless access to health information across the Health Centre and six other hospital organizations, enhancing patient safety and quality of care. This collaboration represents the largest number of individual organizations joining together on the Epic system in Ontario. It will transform the way healthcare is delivered for generations to come.

Looking ahead to the next five, 10 and 20 years of the hospital’s evolution, PRHC is in the early stages of its Master Planning process.

In its bold vision for the future, PRHC will be the go-to large acute care hospital between Kingston and the Greater Toronto Area for patients to receive care. We and our donors will be by their side, helping fund essential equipment and technology, and exciting innovations, to support this transformation.

Thank you for your continued support as we usher in the next era of healthcare in our region!

Learn more about “the best kept secret in medicine”

A doctor poses outside the hospital

Dr. Fady Abdelsayed is an Interventional Radiologist at PRHC. We asked him to tell us about interventional radiology, known as “the best kept secret in medicine,” and how an upgrade and expansion to PRHC’s IR facilities will improve care for thousands of patients in our region…

What is interventional radiology?

In interventional radiology we use real-time imaging – radiology – to find and correct, or intervene in, health conditions. We use CT scans, fluoroscopy or ultrasound to steer needles, guidewires and catheters into tiny incisions in the skin or through blood vessels to perform a procedure.

What kind of procedures use interventional radiology?

Interventional radiology is becoming integral to patient care. We use it during scheduled procedures and in emergencies. It’s helpful for a wide range of health conditions and patients. If a patient has an infection, we might use interventional radiology to drain it. With cancer, we might use it to do a biopsy. Bleeding – we might use interventional radiology to stop the hemorrhage. And if surgery is too high-risk for a patient, this kind of procedure could be a safer, faster option. Some days, no two procedures are the same or an everyday procedure needs a new ‘twist’ to get the best result for that patient.

How does interventional radiology support great patient care at PRHC?

It helps us innovate and push the boundaries of what we can do for patients. It often lets us quickly give a patient relief from discomfort or help get them a diagnosis. Because it’s minimally invasive, patients have less pain, shorter hospital stays, and face less risks than with surgery.

If PRHC has this service now, why should donors invest in it?

Right now, interventional radiology is used for almost 6,000 patients at PRHC every year, but the two interventional radiology suites were built 13 years ago. They’re too small to fit the number of medical personnel and state-of-the-art equipment we need to expand and offer this care to more patients. We can do this with renovated suites, a new step-down unit and cutting-edge equipment. We’ll also be able to introduce new methods to treat things like stroke and cancer. We all want to give our patients the best care possible, but the government funds only a portion of the hospital’s costs. So, we’re very grateful to our community for helping us by donating to the PRHC Foundation. Thank you, donors!

For more information or to support this exciting investment, please click here or call 705-876-5000.

Issue with reply envelopes in our recent newsletter

Icon for Pulse Newsletter

It seems there was an issue at our mail house and some donors received a postage-paid envelope addressed to the Youth Emergency Shelter (YES) with their recent issue of The Pulse. Our vendor apologizes for their error and any confusion it may have caused.

If you received the incorrect envelope and were intending to mail us a tribute, donation or legacy notification, please give us a call at 705-876-5000 or send us an email and we’d be happy to send you a new postage-paid envelope in the mail. You can also visit the related pages on our website any time.

In the meantime, we’ve been in touch with our friends at YES and they will ensure any mail sent to them in error is identified and forwarded to us right away. Thank you to everyone who reached out to alert us to the issue, and to all of you for supporting your hospital!

We love our hardworking healthcare workers!

A manager gives two nurses gift boxes
A message of thanks on a card with a gift box

Peterborough Regional Health Centre has an incredible team of nurses, staff and doctors. Over the last year, they have demonstrated courage and strength while continuing to provide care and support for patients and their families.

We’re so proud of them, and grateful for the work they do, every day. And we’re grateful to all of the donors who have helped us support them throughout the pandemic.

Donor generosity funded tools and supports such as additional scrubs, new plexiglass screening stations at hospital entry points, and iPads and supportive equipment for the Virtual Visiting Program so isolated patients can connect with loved ones.

Thanks to your donations, PRHC is better positioned in 2021 to continue caring for as many patients as possible while keeping patients, families, volunteers and PRHC’s 3,200 workers safe.

Now, PRHC Foundation is honoured to partner again with your hospital to show our healthcare providers how much we – and you, through your donations and kind messages of thanks – appreciate them. This week, 3,200 wellness kits made possible by the generosity of Foundation donors are being delivered to the Health Centre’s nurses, staff and physicians. Each kit includes both fun and healthy treats, and self-care products.

We also included one of a selection of the hundreds of personal notes of appreciation Foundation donors sent to us this year for our PRHC team members. We join the hospital in hoping these tokens of our and your gratitude bring a smile to their faces. 

As they tackle the third wave, our work continues. Our mission has never been more important. In addition to funding PRHC’s most urgent needs including COVID-19, your gifts are helping to give the hospital’s experts the essential tools they need to save lives.

If you’d like to support your hospital, please visit prhcfoundation.ca/love/. There you can send a message to the PRHC team and make a donation in their honour. Thank you for continuing to show them your grateful hearts!

PRHC is bringing cutting-edge new CT scanners to our region with your help

A Medical Radiation Technologist and volunteer demonstrate a CT scanner
A radiologist stands in front of a CT scanner

Dr. Mario Voros is a PRHC Radiologist who’s leading the charge to bring two new, state-of-the-art CT scanners to the hospital. We asked him to tell us about this cutting-edge equipment and how it will improve care for thousands of patients in our region…

What is CT scan technology?

A CT – or computed tomography – scan is a more powerful, dynamic, moving X-Ray. Unlike a traditional 2-dimensional X-Ray, CT scanners create hundreds of incredibly detailed cross-sectional images and 3-dimensional images of a patient’s anatomy. They’re unique because they can display a combination of soft tissue, bones and blood vessels in a single image.

Why are CT scans an important diagnostic tool?

Radiologists call CT the workhorse – or backbone – of the hospital. At PRHC, about 28,000 CT scans are performed each year because they’re crucial to rapidly confirming a diagnosis and beginning lifesaving treatment for many seriously sick or injured patients. We perform a CT scan for patients with head injuries to rule out a brain bleed. We use CT for rapid stroke assessment and to identify blockages or damage in arteries. We image for common issues like kidney stones and appendicitis. We use CT in cancer care. CT helps doctors diagnose fractures and issues related to trauma. A chest CT can even identify some consequences of COVID-19, like pneumonia.

Why does PRHC need new CT equipment?

PRHC’s current CT scanners are more than 12 years old and nearing the end of their lifespan. They must be replaced with new equipment. This is an opportunity to make significant advancements in our critical CT services because the technology has come a long way in a decade. We need the most advanced imaging technology available, so that every doctor at PRHC can do our jobs to the best of our ability.

How will the new CT scanners benefit patients?

The new CT scanners will fit the needs of the hospital now and well into the future. They’re the best available scanners on the market. They’re faster, meaning shorter scan times. This is better for all patients, but especially those in pain or distress. They’ll provide much better-quality images, making it easier for my colleagues and me to see what’s happening inside a patient’s body. And there’s less radiation used during a scan, which means less risk to the patient.

How will donors help make this equipment advancement possible?

The government doesn’t fund most of the technology doctors, nurses and staff use to provide patient care every day. So, we rely on donors to help us invest in equipment that is vital to the world-class care we provide to patients from across our region. It’s donors who make that care possible by giving to the PRHC Foundation to help fund cutting-edge tools, like essential new CT scanners. And at PRHC, we’re all very grateful for that support.

For more information or to support this exciting investment, please click here or call 705-876-5000.