A Gray Matter

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PCH Foundation Treasurer Wayne Carew, left, and PCH Foundation President Sandy Rundle, second left, accept a $100,000 donation from the Gray Family Foundation represented by Darren Gray, right, Cory Gray, centre and father Wayne Gray. Late last year, the Gray family decided to sell their Vogue Optical locations, leaving with two generations of great memories and lasting customer relationships. Now that the Grays have moved on, they want to give back to those who have helped them so much. “We hope that this donation can truly make a difference in our communities through the PCH Foundation,” says Cory Gray. “The hospitals are something we all rely on at some point in our lives. We need to make sure we are there for them when they need help, so that they will be there for our families and friends in their times of need.” Having spent so many years in the eyecare field and given eyecare’s close association to the healthcare, they felt it only natural to thank PEI through gifts to healthcare initiatives. “For many years people from all over PEI were great supporters for Vogue Optical. We wanted to find a fitting way to thank our many customers from … Continued

Lights for Life Results

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On December 2nd, the skies lit up over the Prince County Hospital with memories of loved ones.  Lights for Life gathered a crowd of hundreds in front of PCH to watch the lighting ceremony, remember loved ones and honour those still with us.  This annual Prince County Hospital Foundation fundraiser has raised over $3 million since it began in 1995; this year surpassing its highest total with $224,557. Throughout the month of November Lights for Life gifts are made to the PCH Foundation in memory and in honour of loved ones. Every gifts has a dedication in honour or in memory of someone special and those dedications are gathered in a book that is handed out at the event. The gifts are represented by lights and displays placed on the outside of the hospital and on one special night each year, the lights are brought to life and will continue to be lit each night until December 31st. Every dollar raised supports the purchase of medical equipment at PCH.  This brings the PCH Foundation closer to our goal of $2.71 million for 2015, though there is more to raise in 2015. Gifts are accepted for Lights for Life until December … Continued

Lights for Life December 2nd, 2015

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Lights for Life presented by the Credit Unions in Prince County. On December 2nd, the skies lit up over the Prince County Hospital with memories of loved ones.  Lights for Life gathered a crowd of hundreds in front of PCH to watch the lighting ceremony, remember loved ones and honour those still with us.  This annual Prince County Hospital Foundation fundraiser has raised over $3 million since it began in 1995; this year surpassing its highest total with $224,557. Throughout the month of November Lights for Life gifts were made to the PCH Foundation in memory and in honour of loved ones. Every gifts has a dedication in honour or in memory of someone special and those dedications are gathered in a book that is handed out at the event. The gifts are represented by lights and displays placed on the outside of the hospital and on one special night each year, the lights are brought to life and will continue to be lit each night until December 31st. Every dollar raised supports the purchase of medical equipment at PCH.  This brings the PCH Foundation closer to our goal of $2.71 million for 2015, though there is more to raise in 2015. … Continued

A Matter of Life and Death: Vital Signs Appeal 2015

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“Having a new CT Scan at Prince County Hospital is a matter of life and death.” That is the message that Gerard McCardle wants to pass along to the people of Prince Edward Island. “People need to know this should be a number one priority for all island residents.” This year the PCH Foundation must raise over $2.27 million for equipment including a new CT Scan machine valued at $1 million on its own. CT stands for Computed Tomography, commonly known as a CAT Scan. Gerard knows first hand the importance of having a fully operational CT Scan at Prince County Hospital (PCH). It has twice saved his life from rare medical abnormalities. While attending a meeting in 2007, Gerard was overcome with intense abdominal pain. He was rushed to PCH where, based on the information available, he was diagnosed and treated for a kidney stone. The pain subsided and all seemed fine. The pain returned that fall and Gerard was again admitted to PCH. It no longer seemed to be kidney stones, but there was no doubt of his pain. The location and intensity of the pain was perplexing as nothing showed on X-rays or blood tests. It wasn’t … Continued

Bed Pan Trophy Relay

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  The first annual Bedpan Trophy Relay supporting QEH and PCH Foundations will take place on June 13th. Teams of 12, made up of staff, nurses, and physicians from each hospital, will have members running legs of the Confederation Trail from their home base over a 60 km route currently being mapped and marked thanks to Dave Lewis. The team to reach their finish line first wins and takes home a Bedpan Trophy! This new event promises to raise some competitive spirit and some much needed funds for both QEH and PCH. Team members are now collecting pledges with the proceeds supporting the purchase of medical equipment at both facilities. For further information please visitwww.qehfoundation.pe.ca, or www.pchcare.com, or call the QEH Foundation at 902-894-2425, or the PCH Foundation at 902-432-2547. A big thank you to Stanley Bridge Hall Sterling Women’s Institute for sponsoring the social for runners following the event. Pictured is organizer Dr. Joanne Reid, second from left in the front row, with some of the PCH team members. FOR RUNNERS: Pledge Form: OFFICIAL PLEDGES QEH PCH Bedpan Trophy Relay Pledge Form 2   Info pack: INFO PACK FOR RUNNERS  

My Personal Care Hospital Gordon MacFarlane

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On an ordinary day last winter, Gordon MacFarlane was in Pownal at a hockey tournament with his son, Matt. Before lunch he began to feel an all too familiar nausea, followed by intense pain. Leaving his son with another parent he began to make his way to Prince County Hospital (PCH). He called his mother in Stanley Bridge, saying he didn’t think he could make it home and would come there. He coasted into his mother’s driveway where she would find him slumped over the wheel of his car. She called an ambulance and he was rushed to PCH.   Over the years, Gordon has had numerous surgeries as a result of the ulcerative colitis he’s had since age 15. The condition is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers and led to the removal of Gordon’s lower intestine over the course of two operations in 2003 and 2007 and replaced by stretching and expanding his small intestine. Those surgeries, coupled with a liver transplant performed in 2005, means that Gordon has significant scar tissue in his abdomen, strands of which occasionally attach to his small intestine, kinking it. The liver transplant has also meant a number of … Continued

Mendoza Family –  Our Personal Care Hospital

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For the Mendoza family, PCH doesn’t just stand for Prince County Hospital – for them it has become the Personal Care Hospital.  Since Mitchell (20) was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2006, they have become family at PCH.  When they walk into the Emergency Department or the Maternal Child Care Unit, they are instantly recognized.  Over the years this chronic disease has led Mitchell through PCH for treatment and testing in the ever-growing need to understand and combat this disease.  Whether receiving testing in the laboratory, being admitted for pain through Emergency, receiving a scope or an iron infusion in the Endoscopy service of Ambulatory Care, or spending time in Paediatrics, Mitchell has become accustomed to the hallways of his personal care hospital. It is this personal care received from their PCH family that has carried the Mendoza family through tough times over the years. Mitchell beams as he talks of care close to home and how it is truly his community caring for him. “We knew 6 nurses personally when I was first admitted. I knew 3 of my nurses in my surgery and even my family doctor scrubbed in just to make sure everything went alright.  My next … Continued

2014 Equipment Appeal A Success

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After a year of dedicated efforts by many volunteers and staff, hundreds of donors and supporters, the Prince County Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that they reached their $1,250,453 goal in 2014. “This is a proud moment for us, for our donors and everyone involved in the campaign,” says Heather Matheson, Foundation managing director. “We couldn’t have done it without the commitment of a great many people. We thank all the donors and the volunteers who generously supported the ongoing needs of the Prince County Hospital and the patients it serves. It’s amazing what people can do when they come together with a shared goal.” Many factors contributed to the success of the Foundation in 2014, including the growth of its two largest fundraisers, Lights for Life and Grass Roots & Cowboy Boots.  Grass Roots & Cowboy Boots, a lobster dinner with entertainment and a live auction, not only raised over $265,000 in cash donations for 2014, but also brought promises of some very large multi-year commitments from both the provincial government and ADL. Lights for Life also had a record year raising over $213,000 in its twentieth year. Matheson continued, “Memorial donations, special events, and … Continued

Anna Smith – How I Spent My March Break

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How I Spent My March Break – with Anna Smith Over the course of two months, ten-year-old Anna Smith developed what was thought to be a mole that didn’t seem abnormal, but became increasingly annoying. One Sunday she noticed a hard ball under the spot on her left arm. By Wednesday there was a dime-sized red circle around the spot. By the following day it had grown to the size of a toonie and had become a great concern to both her and her mother Lisa. “It really bugged me,” Anna explained. “I didn’t know what it was.” That evening, Anna and her mother made a trip to the Emergency Department (ED) at PCH. The spot was diagnosed as an infection and an antibiotic was prescribed to clear it up. In the case of Anna’s infection, an abscess was evident from the appearance of the skin and the feel of the area, but the first round of antibiotics were ineffective, as was a second antibiotic and the infection continued to spread. With the infection still growing aggressively, Anna and her mother returned to the ED and were seen by Dr. Steven MacNeill who diagnosed the infection as cellulitis. Dr. MacNeill, … Continued

The Hockin Family, Grateful for Quality Care

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Nao Hockin was aware that she would be delivering her baby earlier than usual. She was admitted to PCH on Wednesday, February 20th and at 36 weeks Nao’s labour was induced. She was in mild labour throughout the day, however that all intensified when her water broke at 5:00 pm. Baby girl Rina Hockin was born February 21st at 1:39 am. She was 4 weeks early and weighed 4 lbs, 2 ozs. Due to her early arrival, Tim and Nao did not know what complications may arise or if their baby would be able to breathe on her own. With a room full of healthcare professionals including Dr. Freeman, Dr. Farag, Respiratory Therapist Abdul Rahma and Nursing staff, the Panda iRes Infant Warmer was prepared. This new technology was imperative in baby Rina’s first moments. The unit provides the necessary warmth but also had the ability to measure her oxygen saturation. Fortunately, PCH was equipped with the Infant Warmers as the Foundation recently purchased two units in 2012 thanks to the generous donations received from the community. “She was so small that she was not able to maintain her body heat,” says new father Tim Hockin, “but luckily she was … Continued

Gary Naylor

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On November 7th, 2004, a Sunday like any other, Gary Naylor was sitting in church when he felt an immense pain in his abdomen. Gary rushed to the Prince County Hospital to receive the diagnosis that would save his life. Having barely sat down in the waiting area, he was ushered into a room to be checked. Luckily for Gary, PCH was equipped with a portable ultrasound. Dr. Scott Cameron used this versatile piece of equipment to get a visual of what was happening in Mr. Naylor’s body. Gary was in the midst of an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (also known as AAA). A ballooning of the abdominal aorta exceeding the normal diameter by more than 50 percent, an AAA can cause pain in the abdomen and back (due to pressure on surrounding tissues). Mr. Naylor doesn’t recall a moment from then on when Dr. Cameron was not by his side, until the helicopter arrived to whisk him off to Halifax where a stint was placed in the aorta. It is this type of quick diagnosis made possible by the portable Ultrasound that saves lives weekly in the Emergency Room at Prince County Hospital. “It was all very well done. And … Continued

Marilla Millar

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For years Marilla Millar has been the one giving exceptional care. The Ellerslie foster parent has been responsible for the lives of 128 children since 1974. She will be recognized with a honourary degree this spring at UPEI for her dedication to foster parenting. But it is the exceptional care she received at Prince County Hospital that resonates with Mrs. Millar. Two years ago this very special woman suddenly found herself extremely ill. She was rushed to PCH for medical attention. To determine what was ailing Marilla, a colonoscope was performed in the Ambulatory Care Department at PCH. The results of which were less than desirable…it was cancer. She was diagnosed in May and surgery was performed on June 1st to remove part of her bowel. Two weeks later she began an intense six months of chemotherapy. “The girls in the treatment centre were marvelous,” says Marilla, speaking of staff in the Oncology Unit at PCH. “They explained everything they were doing. My experience at the hospital was the best of care,” she said. She also stressed the importance of a positive attitude. “They told me that if I hadn’t had this (procedure) done, I would have had 2 years … Continued