Returning as Gold Sponsors for Lights for Life, these MBS radio stations provide much needed awareness for Lights for Life.  Through the donation of radio ads running through the month of November and on air “chats” we are able to reach the entire province with our message “Remember Someone You Love.”  In these difficult economic times it is more important than ever that the PCH Foundation receives support such as this to ensure that we can continue to raise funds for priority medical equipment at Prince County Hospital.  We are very thankful that the MBS radio stations are able to help Lights for Life now and in past years.  Their gift ensures that Lights for Life can offset costs and thereby ensure that 100% of the gifts the public makes in memory and honour of loved ones goes directly to the purchase of priority medical equipment (L-R): Corey Jeffery of Spud FM/ CFCY/ Magic 93 and Lights for Life Co-Chairs  Elaine & Roger Caseley

Returning as Silver Sponsor for Lights for Life, EastLink Advertising provides much needed awareness for Lights for Life.  Through the donation of a television ad running on the Island TV Guide channel we are able to reach the entire province with our message “Remember Someone You Love.”  In these difficult economic times it is more important than ever that the PCH Foundation receives support such as this to ensure that we can continue to raise funds for priority medical equipment at Prince County Hospital.  We are very thankful that EastLink is able to help Lights for Life now and in past years.  Their gift ensures that Lights for Life can offset costs and thereby ensure that 100% of the gifts the public makes in memory and honour of loved ones goes directly to the purchase of priority medical equipment Bob MacLean (right) of EastLink Advertising and Co-Chairs Elaine & Roger Caseley

PCH Foundation is thrilled to announce that the Credit Unions of Prince County have returned as the presenting sponsor of Lights for Life.  This event would not be possible without the support of the Credit Unions.  In these difficult economic times it is more important than ever that the PCH Foundation receives support such as this to ensure that we can continue to raise funds for priority medical equipment at Prince County Hospital.  We are very thankful that Credit Unions of Prince County are able to help Lights for Life now and in past years. Their gift ensures that Lights for Life can offset costs and thereby ensure that 100% of the gifts the public makes in memory and honour of loved ones goes directly to the purchase of priority medical equipment.  Prince County Credit Union Managers (L-R): Roger Young (Central Credit Union), Alfred Arsenault  (Evangeline Credit Union), Sarah Millar (Consolidated Credit Union), Louis Shea (Tignish Credit Union), Marc LeClair  (Malpeque Bay Credit Union)

On Wednesday evening December 2nd at 6:30PM, all are invited to attend the 15th Annual Lights for Life event at Prince County Hospital. As always, the community will come together to remember special loved ones and celebrate the coming holiday season. All funds raised from Lights for Life are used to help purchase the medical equipment needed at PCH this year.  Donors can dedicate a light or beautiful display, in honour or in memory of someone special and help to buy needed medical equipment at the same time. This year’s Lights for Life Campaign is underway!  Check your mail boxes for information on this year’s celebration.  This is a fundraiser in which everyone can participate, as there are dedication lights starting at $10.  The white, red, blue, and green lights are available for dedication, as are various larger displays. Returning to our lighting display this year is the Grand Arch, the Snowflakes, the Toy Train, and the Caroling Bells, among others.  As always, the centerpiece of the display will be the “Celebration Tree”.  The Celebration tree will once again be brought to you by presenting sponsors, the Credit Unions of Prince County who are joining Lights for Life for year … Continued

  Thanks to the dedication of our caring communities, Lights for Life has raised $171,602 this year.Gifts can still be made until the end of December.Thank you for your support in 2009!  

The Prince County Hospital Auxiliary is helping their community to see the importance of endoscopy.  They have made a “leadership gift” of $20,000 toward the purchase the first colonoscope under the 2009 Vital Signs Annul Equipment Campaign of the Prince County Hospital Foundation.  Four new scopes, valued at $125,000 total, are needed in the equipment campaign, including 3 colonoscopes and 1 gastroscope. This new endoscopy equipment will present images in High Resolution Endoscopy.  According to Dr. Bill Walker at PCH,  “High Resolution Endoscopy is the a new state of the art technology that gives a clearer picture at a higher resolution, allowing diagnosticians to see a wider field of view and presenting new options such as ‘narrow band imaging.’  Narrow band imaging takes advantage of different parts of the light spectrum and it eliminates a colour.  With a narrower array of colours, it allows you to see things that may have been too subtle to see under the full spectrum of colours (regular white light).  Things like dysplasia prior to a polyp becoming cancerous.  It helps in cancer detection in areas that may appear abnormal.” Patsy Barrett, manager of Ambulatory Care at PCH, “On behalf of PCH and the Ambulatory … Continued

Red Sands Golf Course in Clinton was the site of the 2nd Annual Women’s Golf Classic presented by McInnes Cooper September 25th–a 9-hole “best ball” tournament. It turned out to be a wonderful day for golf, despite the inclement weather.  The wet weather played a major role in a fun filled day of camaraderie and golf all in the name of a very important cause.  The tournament was a resounding success, with 68 participants taking part and raising over $13,500 for Endoscopy at Prince County Hospital.  Red Sands was very generous in supplying the course for the tournament free of charge.  It is support like Red Sands’ that ensures that the maximum amount of funds can go toward new high resolution colonoscopes and gastroscopes.  Without the support of sponsors such as McInnes Cooper and Red Sands, this event would not be possible.  The overall winning team was The Pink Swingers.  The team consisted of Wendy MacLeod, Nancy Heaney, Shirley MacLeod and Lorraine MacDonald. The organizing committee is thrilled with this year’s event and look forward to next year.  The tournament will continue to grow and will benefit thanks to McInnes Cooper, who have agreed to present the event for the … Continued

Each year for the Vital Signs Campaign, a list of priority medical equipment is identified and approved by the Medical Advisory Board.  This year the list of needed medical equipment totals $753,800. Because PCH requires this new equipment to continue providing quality care to Islanders the hospital foundation will need the help of the communities PCH serves. PCH has been serving Islanders for nearly a century. For many years now, raising funds for new medical equipment has been and continues to be, the exclusive responsibility of our communities. The generosity extended each year throughout our Island communities has enabled us to bring good health to life here at PCH Foundation.  Last year alone, many generous supporters helped raise the largest campaign goal in our history, a large part of which was a new Digital mammography Unit, which is now in place and operating at PCH. This year in our Vital Signs Annual Equipment Campaign we are raising funds for new scopes for the Endoscopy Unit in Ambulatory Care. Both colonoscopes and gastroscopes are needed at a total cost of $125,000.  Over 3500 patients were received endoscopy procedures last year alone.  As Marilla Millar will attest, scopes save lives.  The new … Continued

Grant Thornton partners Blair Dunn, left and Peter Murray, right present the Grant Thornton of Summerside’s donation of $1000 to Margo Thompson of the PCH Foundation’s Golf Committee.  Grant Thornton has come on board to support the Prince County Hospital Foundation Women’s Golf Classic.  Their gift makes them the sponsor of the “10th Hole Social” which will take place at the Stanley Bridge Country Resort following the tournament. 

The Prince County Hospital Foundation is proud to announce Bell Aliant as the Eagle Sponsor for the Second Annual Women’s Golf Classic.  Bruce Howatt, Vice President of PEI for Bell Aliant, far right, and Anne Marie Ellis, Executive Assistant at Bell Aliant, far left, present $2500 to Heather Matheson, PCH Foundation Managing Director, second from left and Josette Martin, participant, in support of this tournament Their donation will provide prizes such as gloves, golf balls and tees.  This will help to ensure the foundation can devote all funds raised to new gastroscopes and colonoscopes for PCH. The Women’s Golf Classic will take place on September 25th at Red Sands Golf Club in Clinton. 

McInnes Cooper Presents the Second Annual Womens Golf Classic

John Campbell says visiting ambulatory care allowed him to receive needed treatment while avoiding a hospital stay.  “We can drop in and we don’t have to be here all day,” said Campbell in an interview this year. The Linkletter man (Pictured with nursing grad Erica Jones) had been receiving IV medications periodically.  These treatments are one of the services available at the ambulatory care unit at Prince County Hospital in Summerside. Ambulatory care is care delivered on an outpatient basis.  The department was the first of its kind on P.E.I. The need is increasing.  Trends for day procedures have increased to the point where much equipment purchased for the hospital over the past three years has been dedicated to this unit — over $530,000 worth since 2006. This year, the need for this unit will reach a record high of $241,300. The department, the first visible after entering the lobby, is critical to the well being of our communities. Anyone needing an endoscopy procedure, chemotherapy or IV medication will access ambulatory care. Many health problems do not require hospital admission and can be managed on an ambulatory basis, including blood tests, endoscopy, IV infusions, electrocardiograms, vacuum assisted closures and even … Continued

On Monday, June 22nd, 2009 the Prince County Hospital Foundation will host their first annual Gladiator Golf event to help purchase an ECG cart for the Ambulatory Care unit at Prince County Hospital. A volunteer team of four “gladiators” has accepted the challenge to golf 108 holes and be part of the “longest day of golf” event at the Summerside Golf and Country Club. In 2009, the PCH Foundation aspires to raise over $753,000 for medical equipment. The Ambulatory Care unit, responsible for the care of over 12,000 patients last year, requires an ECG cart valued at $15,000.00. This key piece and a host of others are all part of an annual campaign that equals over $241,000.00 in this department alone. Our “gladiator” goal for this new golf initiative is to raise both awareness and the funds necessary to purchase this important health care item for our hospital…and we need your help. Prince County Hospital treats thousands of Islanders each year and your help matters to each of them. Please help us raise the funds needed for medical equipment this year, by pledging a gift today. And remember, for every $10 you pledge, you are entered in our Grand Prize … Continued

Summerside National Bank branch manager Mark MacAusland, centre, and Dallas Kelly Commercial Banking-Agribusiness manager with National Bank, right, recently presented Percy Affleck, of Prince County Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors, with a gift of $4500. National Bank has pledged to make this gift over the next 3 years to the PCHF’s annual equipment campaign.

Summerside, PE The Harry T. Holman Award is presented annually by the Prince County Hospital Foundation “to a volunteer or a volunteer group who has made a significant contribution to Prince County Hospital and the people it serves.”  The award is named for Harry T. Holman Jr., a well-known Summerside merchant who devoted countless volunteer hours to Prince County Hospital, and served as the president of its board for 20 years. When the Award was first presented in 1984, it was most fitting that the first recipient was Harry T. Holman himself.  This year, the PCH Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Harry T. Holman Award are the Front Desk Hospitality Volunteers. When you enter the Prince County Hospital you are first greeted by the smiling faces of our Front Desk Hospitality Volunteers.  Their helpful ways and pleasant demeanors have graced PCH for over 11 years ago.  Since that time, patients and visitors have been greeted upon entry and assisted in their needs at PCH.  Over 200 volunteers have been trained for this role with a total of 46,000 volunteer hours committed to date. Volunteer Services Coordinator Deanna Heckbert says, “Volunteers offer direction and support but … Continued

Recently, 3 crates, 2 pallets and several boxes arrived at Prince County Hospital. Inside those boxes were the hopes and dreams of a brighter future.  The much touted Digital Mammography Unit has arrived and the future has become the present.  For much of 2008 we talked about the difference this piece of technology will make for Island women.  Now it is time to make those dreams a reality. Our caring communities, the PEI Government, and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation all pitched in to ensure that patients at PCH have access to the best breast cancer screening equipment.  Thanks to the generosity of our donors, in late April the new mammography unit was operational and screening began.   Photo:  Mammography Coordinator Heather Bulger assists patient Marlene McNeill with the very first Digital Mammogram performed at PCH and on PEI.

Marcia Leard, Clinical Leader in Ambulatory Care, left, sits with Priscilla Pollock, a patient using the VAC wound therapy system. Priscilla is one of over 12,000 Islanders who visited the Ambulatory Care Unit at Prince County Hospital last year (not including the oncology unit).    This year, as part of the Vital Signs Annual Equipment Campaign Ambulatory Care needs $241,300 worth of equipment, including key items such as ECG carts, IV pumps, colonoscopes and a gastroscope.    Since the new Prince County Hospital opened 5 years ago, the number of procedures performed in Ambulatory Care has steadily risen.  This year improvements to the much used equipment in Ambulatory Care are …a step in the right direction.