“What you’ve done means so much”

For years, Jessica endured a deep pain and “heaviness” in her pelvis. It worsened over time and with each pregnancy. “I’m a busy mom of three, was in my early 40s, and working full time,” she says. “I assumed it was my new normal.”

An exam and medical imaging for an unrelated issue led to an answer to the years of pain. Jessica was diagnosed with severe pelvic congestion syndrome, a chronic condition linked to blood flow that causes pelvic veins to swell and twist.

Doctors were able to offer relief through a procedure that could be done quickly in the new, donor-funded interventional radiology suites. “I was grateful when I learned there was a
procedure that could treat it, available right here at PRHC. I don’t think I could have travelled out of town,” she says.

In November, Jessica underwent a minimally invasive pelvic vein embolization with interventional radiologist Dr. Fady Abdelsayed in one of the three advanced suites. “From the
moment I arrived, I felt safe and cared for,” she recalls. “The space was bright, open and calming, and I couldn’t believe the tiny tools that were used through just one small incision to block off the veins.” The team explained each step with the state-of-art technology and ensured she was comfortable. 

Having delivered her children at PRHC and donated to Foundation initiatives, Jessica says the hospital has long been part of her story. “I trust the people at PRHC because they’re part of my community,” she says. And she reiterates that it’s thanks to donors that she didn’t have to travel far from home for that personalized, life-changing care.

“I went in on a Friday and was at work Tuesday without much pain,” Jessica says. Soon she was back to running, hiking and camping. “I realized the huge change in my quality of life, what
it’s like to do the things I love with the people I love without pain,” she says. “I have so much appreciation for the donors who made this possible. What you’ve done means so much to me, to the people who will receive care here. You’ve made all the difference for us.”

For more information on your impact, please call 705-876-5000.

The innovative technology of a donor-funded hybrid OR isn’t optional, it’s essential

As a Level 2 vascular centre serving a regional population of 600,000, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is ready to raise its level of excellence in vascular care with a state-of-the-art hybrid operating room (OR). It’s a $6 million priority of the Campaign for PRHC that’s essential to patient care and donors can help bring it to our hospital.

Vascular disease is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in Canada. Patients often face multiple serious conditions at once, requiring complex, time-sensitive care. Each year, experts at PRHC perform more than 1,000 vascular procedures, with nearly three-quarters of patients travelling from outside Peterborough City and County to receive care at PRHC. For these patients and their families, timely access to advanced surgical care close to home is vital—preventing strokes and loss of limbs.

Now, patients who need multiple vascular procedures undergo each one and its recovery separately. If there will be a need for real-time medical imaging during surgery, the range of procedures that can be performed is limited due to the image quality of the current onsite diagnostic tools. This results in patients being referred to other hospitals where they’ll wait longer to receive the care they need.

An alternative exists: A hybrid OR combines a fully equipped surgical suite with advanced medical imaging in one, bigger space. There, specialized teams can perform multiple open and minimally invasive procedures in one surgical session with access to high resolution imaging. But PRHC is one of only a handful of Ontario’s Level 2 vascular centres without a hybrid OR. When having one is the standard of care, not having it means challenges recruiting surgeons who’ve trained on the technology and sending patients elsewhere for care, putting patients and PRHC’s vascular program at risk.

“In medical school I had access to a hybrid OR. It allows me to operate on patients safely, with extreme precision,” says Dr. Sajjid Hossain, PRHC vascular surgeon. “In vascular surgery, technology isn’t optional. It’s essential to care. A lot of the time patients come to us in life-threatening scenarios where minutes matter. Being able to access state-of-the-art imaging and advanced technologies is a difference between saving a life, saving a limb, or losing both. This is what vascular surgery should be.”

PRHC agrees and has self-funded the creation of the space in the hospital building to enable the hybrid OR. The PRHC Foundation is committed to raising the $6 million needed to outfit the space with its cutting-edge equipment.

“A hybrid OR is vital for the future of patient care at PRHC,” says Lesley Heighway, PRHC Foundation President & CEO. “Donor support will ensure patients from across our region can receive their lifesaving care close to home.” A hybrid OR will also help reduce patient wait times and help treat more patients, safely and efficiently, with better results. 

For Dr. Hossain and PRHC, the need is clear. But he realizes it can’t be resolved without support from generous donors. “When I came to Peterborough, I learned that crucial equipment and technology is funded by donors. That was eye-opening. Since then I’ve been regularly surprised and touched by the generosity of this community,” says Dr. Hossain. “People here really stand behind their healthcare professionals. Thank you so much.”

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

Welcoming the New Year with gratitude for you

We’re grateful for your generosity and for everything you’ve helped make possible for patients from across our region in 2025.

It’s thanks to your steadfast support that the Campaign for PRHC has raised an outstanding $58.8 million as of June 30, 2025, reaching 84% of our $70 million goal. As we approach the New Year, we celebrate this milestone with gratitude and look forward to what we can achieve together in the months ahead.

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Celebrating donors’ $6 million reimagination of interventional radiology at PRHC

On December 9, 2025, donors gathered at Peterborough Regional Health Centre with the PRHC Foundation and members of the hospital’s leadership team to celebrate the official completion of the Campaign for PRHC’s $6 million investment in interventional radiology (IR) made possible by the generosity of our regional community.

Guests toured the bright, modern spaces where PRHC’s IR team now performs some of today’s most advanced minimally invasive procedures. It was an opportunity to see the new, cutting-edge technology and better understand the impact that donations are having on patient care at PRHC.

“This is a transformative moment for patient care at PRHC,” says Lesley Heighway, President & CEO of the PRHC Foundation. “Because of you, the Health Centre’s experts have the advanced tools and space they need to perform even more complex, minimally invasive procedures right here, while innovating for the future. Thank you!”

Interventional radiology is a fast-growing field. Dr. Fady Abdelsayed, PRHC Interventional Radiologist says, “Interventional radiology is the future of medicine. Using real-time imaging technologies such as CT, X-ray and ultrasound, we perform procedures through a tiny incision, using only needles, wires, and catheters. This means less pain, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays compared to conventional surgery. We’re so grateful to the donors for their generosity. Their support means we can deliver even better care in our region.”

The renovation and upgrade were made possible through a multi-year fundraising effort championed by grateful patient ambassadors, PRHC’s interventional radiologists, nurses and medical radiation technologists, hospital leadership, and donors from across the region. This collaboration raised an extraordinary $6 million to expand PRHC’s two existing IR suites, replace out-of-date equipment with state-of-the-art imaging technology, and add a third suite dedicated to rapid, high-demand procedures. The preparation and recovery area was also expanded to accommodate 14 patients instead of ten.

Before this advancement, PRHC’s five interventional radiologists, who work on a 24/7 rotation, were already performing more than 6,000 procedures a year. Now, on a typical day, they’re equipped to care for 20 to 25 patients suffering from critical conditions such as cancer, stroke, organ failure, bleeding and trauma, among others.

As a regional hospital, PRHC’s IR team supports a population of more than 300,000 people across Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Peterborough, and North Hastings County. With the new suites, PRHC is better positioned to meet the growing regional demand for minimally invasive care, enhance patient outcomes, continue attracting and retaining top medical talent, and pave the way for the future introduction of new minimally invasive treatment options.

“Donor vision and support have once again proven to be a driving force behind innovation at PRHC,” says Dr. Lynn Mikula, President & CEO of PRHC. “Together, we’re reimagining what’s possible for patients from across our region. Thank you so much.”

Another record-breaking year for Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival

On October 6, the PRHC Foundation welcomed members of the Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival Planning Committee, the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team, Platinum Sponsor Kawartha Credit Union, paddlers, volunteers and supporters, to celebrate the Festival’s historic achievement: A record-breaking donation of $400,104.01 – the largest single gift in the Festival’s history!

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Celebrating the opening of the donor-funded Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit Courtyard

On August 6, 2025, donors, community members and the media joined PRHC and the PRHC Foundation to celebrate the opening of the new Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Courtyard. This secure, purpose-built outdoor space is designed to support the recovery and well-being of some of the hospital’s most vulnerable mental health patients.

Made possible by donor generosity, the $1.5 million courtyard is more than a new physical space—it’s a symbol of compassion, community and progress. It’s also one of the early mental health priorities brought to life through the Campaign for PRHC.

“This is a transformative moment for mental health care at PRHC,” says Lesley Heighway, President & CEO of the PRHC Foundation. “The PICU Courtyard changes where and how patients heal. It will support PRHC’s healthcare team in delivering expert, compassionate care.”

Patients in the 6-bed PICU have never had access to the outdoors, even though hospital stays can last weeks or even months. “This secure, outdoor treatment space is not only safe and dignified—it’s healing,” says Jennifer Cox, PRHC’s Director of Mental Health & Addictions. “It allows our patients to engage in mindfulness, movement and connection with others and their environment in ways that improve outcomes and quality of care.”

The new outdoor space has already been recognized as a model for other Ontario hospitals. And the need for such innovation is clear: like hospitals across the country, PRHC has seen a staggering increase in patient volumes. In the last year alone, PRHC experienced more than 31,000 mental health patient visits.

“Thanks to donor support, PICU patients now have access to natural light and fresh air—factors that are proven to improve outcomes, reduce hospital stays, and decrease the need for medications like antidepressants,” says Sean Martin, Vice President of Clinical Services & Health Equity and Chief Quality Officer at PRHC.

The PICU Courtyard has been designed with outdoor therapy in mind, with input from mental health experts, PRHC staff, and the lived experience of volunteer community members. Every detail of the space was chosen with intention:

  • Colourful native vegetation to attract butterflies, a natural aid for mindfulness
  • Seating areas in different configurations that offer patients solitude when they need it and space to visit with care providers and loved ones
  • Open gathering areas for group activities and social connection
  • A shaded area to accommodate those who are sensitive to sunlight due to their treatments
  • A colourful, tactile recreation surface

During the PICU Courtyard celebrations, Lesley also announced a $10 million expansion to the Campaign for PRHC.   

“The hospital has brought forward some additional, extraordinarily visionary, future-focused projects,” she says. “These projects will fundamentally change the way patient care is delivered across all areas of care at PRHC. We’re ready to rise to the occasion once again and we know our incredibly generous community is ready, too.”

The Campaign for PRHC began with a $60 million dollar goal and is now a $70 million campaign. This increase will allow PRHC to move forward with cutting-edge initiatives that directly respond to the specific healthcare needs of our region. One of those bold, innovative projects is a digital command centre.

“It’s still in the early stages of planning,” says Sean. “Once complete, the command centre will be a behind-the-scenes hub that will use real-time data to streamline patient flow, reduce wait times, and improve access to care.”

“This is a bold, transformational project and we’re excited to say, yes, let’s support it,” says Lesley. “Let’s continue to reimagine health and care—just like donors have done through the PICU Courtyard.”

Pictured left to right: (back row) PRHC VP Finance & Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer Jen Taylor, PRHC Outpatient Mental Health Manager Miriam McCann, PRHC Mental Health & Addictions Chief & Medical Director Dr. Raj Basker, PRHC PICU Manager Dakota Forsyth, PRHC Foundation President & CEO Lesley Heighway; (front row) PRHC Director of Mental Health & Addictions Jennifer Cox, PRHC RN Erica Earl, PRHC RN Shayne Luangvisa.