News
Prince County Hospital Foundation Celebrates 2025 SuccessFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Prince County Hospital Foundation Celebrates 2025 Success SUMMERSIDE, PEI – January 27, 2026 – The Prince County Hospital (PCH) Foundation is proud to announce that, thanks to the incredible generosity of donors across Prince Edward Island and beyond, it has officially exceeded the nearly $2.7 million goal for its 2025 Vital Signs campaign. Among numerous critical medical equipment needs, the successful campaign ensures that PCH will receive a new Fluoroscopy/X-Ray Unit. This vital and highly used equipment is essential for general imaging (X-ray) and is also employed for “video X-rays” (Fluoroscopy) in procedures such as barium swallows, fertility exams, and more. Access to this equipment is crucial for delivering life-changing patient care and maintaining the hospital’s reputation as a centre of excellence. “Reaching this milestone is a testament to the incredible spirit of Islanders,” says Derek Bondt, President of the PCH Foundation. “Our donors aren’t just contributing money; they are providing essential tools for our doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff to save lives right here at home. As we celebrate the success of 2025, we are already looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities 2026 will bring, with an ambitious campaign on the horizon.” A Year … View full news story. | |
2025 Lights for Life ResultsLights for Life 31st Anniversary – A Record-Breaking Year! We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Lights for Life 2025 has raised an incredible $317,850! Thanks to your generous donations made in memory and in honour of loved ones, this is the largest total ever for Lights for Life, exceeding last year’s milestone! These vital gifts will provide much-needed medical equipment for various departments at Prince County Hospital, including the crucial replacement of the portable ultrasounds, an X-Ray/Fluoroscopy machine, and patient beds, as part of the $2.7 million 2025 Vital Signs Campaign. Thank you to everyone who joined us at the annual lighting event! Don’t forget, you can see the Lights for Life displays and spectacular light shows all month long starting tomorrow, December 4th (6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 pm nightly). Just tune in to 98.5 FM in your car! If you joined us tonight, we’d love to see your pictures. Please use #LFL2025 to share your photos or tag us in your posts! Thank You to Our Sponsors and Supporters! Along with our many donors from across this great province and beyond, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsors for their outstanding support: Presenting … View full news story. |
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Lights for Life Goes Golden with MBS RadioHUGE thanks to our incredible Gold Sponsors, MBS Radio! We’re so grateful for the continued support from their stations: 102.1 SPUD FM, 95.1 FM CFCY, and Max 93FM for this year’s Lights for Life campaign! Thanks to sponsors like MBS Radio, 100% of your generous donations go directly toward purchasing essential medical equipment for our hospital. Your gifts make a massive difference! A shout-out to MBS Account Manager Corey Jeffery for his support (pictured here with our own Selena Ford)! Corey is your reliable resource for all advertising needs. How to Participate & Donate: ️ Dedication Book Deadline Reminder: Donate by Friday at noon to have your gift included in the BOOK INSERT! Online: pchcare.com/lights-for-life/ Call: (902) 432-2547 In Person: Visit the Foundation office in the PCH lobby. Join us for the Community Lighting Ceremony on December 3rd at 6:30 PM at PCH! #LFL2025 ✨ |
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Lighting Up Downtown 2025 Lights for LifeBig thanks to our friends at The City of Summerside for their continued collaboration and support of Downtown Lights for Life! In 2020, we teamed up with them to expand Lights for Life and bring its shine downtown during the festive season. The stunning display along Green’s Shore has raised over $100,000 for medical equipment at your hospital! Check out the light displays along the waterfront on your way home after the Santa Claus parade on Saturday! | |
Ocean 100 and Hot 105.5 Support PCH Lights for LifeWe want to send a massive thank you to our phenomenal Gold Sponsor, Ocean 100 and Hot 105.5, for their generous commitment to the Lights for Life campaign! Because of partners like Ocean 100/Hot 105.5 and their parent company, Stingray Media, we can promise that 100% of your donations are used to purchase essential, life-saving medical equipment for our hospital. Your support is directly transforming patient care! A special acknowledgment to Stingray Media Solutions PEI Sales Manager Dylan McKee, he’s your go-to expert for all advertising needs for Ocean 100, Hot 1015.5 and their many digital media advertising channels (Dylan is pictured with our own Bevan Woodacre, right) | |
Sponsor Spotlight: Summerside Canadian Tire Lights for Life 2025Sponsor Spotlight: Summerside Canadian Tire Let’s give a huge thank you to Grant MacMillan and the incredible team at Summerside Canadian Tire! They are once again lighting up our community by supporting the Prince County Hospital (PCH) Foundation’s annual Lights for Life campaign. Their generous $2,500 sponsorship helps provide essential lighting supplies needed to make this year’s festivities shine even brighter! Event Details: Annual Community Lighting– Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:30 pm at PCH (hot chocolate, cookies, and the PCH Staff choir!) Then, from Dec 4-31, we continue to offer dazzling nightly light shows set to music at PCH. Showtimes: 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, and 8:00 PM. How to Contribute: You can still remember someone special and contribute to the Lights for Life campaign by making a donation today: https://pchcare.com/lights-for-life/ |
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The Journal Pioneer and the Guardian Cover Lights for Life 2025Let’s give a big thank you to our Gold Sponsors, Journal Pioneer and The Guardian ! The continuous support from our local media is part of what has made Lights for Life what it is today. Their commitment through advertising and news coverage ensures Lights for Life reaches the entire Island! Heartfelt appreciation goes out to The Journal and The Guardian for their ongoing and dedicated support! Community Event – NEXT WEEK!- December 3rd at 6:30 PM at PCH! REMINDER – All donations made by Friday at noon will be included in the Lights for Life dedication book insert. If you have yet to make your Lights for Life gift this year, it’s easy to do so! Remember Someone You Love today at pchcare.com/lights-for-life/, by calling (902) 432-2547 or at the Foundation office in the lobby of PCH. | |
Credit Unions Go Platinum with Lights for LifeWe extend a huge shoutout and heartfelt gratitude to our Platinum Sponsors for Lights for Life 2025: Consolidated Credit Union and Provincial Credit Union. This year marks their 18th year of continuous support of Lights for Life! Thanks in part to their Platinum-level sponsorship, 100% of your donations directly fund vital medical equipment for Prince County Hospital. Their long-term commitment has helped us achieve so much for the thousands of patients cared for at PCH each year! Sarah Millar, CEO of Consolidated Credit Union, emphasizes their support: “Credit Unions are long-time supporters of Lights for Life, and we are very pleased to continue our support of the Prince County Hospital. We hope Islanders will take this opportunity to remember and honour a loved one, and we encourage everyone to take in one of the nightly shows during December.” Pictured are Alfred Arsenault, CEO, Provincial Credit Union and Sarah Millar, CEO, Consolidated Credit Union. |
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PEI Mutual Returns to Lights for LifeHUGE Thank You! Our Lights for Life Campaign Gets a $25,000 Boost! The PCH Foundation is “beaming” with gratitude to welcome back PEI Mutual Insurance Company as the Presenting Sponsor of Lights for Life! This incredible $25,000 sponsorship from PEI Mutual helps to cover campaign costs, ensuring that 100% of your donations go DIRECTLY to purchasing essential medical equipment for the Prince County Hospital Thank you, PEI Mutual, for helping us light the way for exceptional patient care! Shine a Light with Your Gift! You can join the effort and make a gift in memory or in honour of someone special: Donate online: pchcare.com Call us: (902) 432-2547 Stop by the PCH Foundation office in the hospital lobby. (Pictured: PCH Foundation Treasurer Georgia Ellis accepts the generous $25,000 sponsorship from PEI Mutual CFO Rudy Smith.) | |
Lights for Life 2025EVENT INFO (click Here) The Prince County Hospital Foundation has launched its 31st Lights for Life appeal! During November, we accept donations in honour and in memory of your loved ones. Each gift has a dedication that is collected in a keepsake book to be distributed at the community lighting ceremony on December 3rd at 6:30 PM at PCH! Enjoy refreshments, the PCH staff choir and the beautiful light show choreographed to music. A community tradition since 1995. How to donate: Donate online at https://pchcare.com/lights-for-life/, Visiting the Foundation office in the PCH lobby, or by calling (902) 432-2547. The deadline to have your gift in the book is Nov. 22nd at noon. Thank you to our amazing sponsors, without whom Lights for Life is not possible! Presenting sponsors PEI Mutual Insurance Company Platinum Sponsors Consolidated and Provincial Credit Unions Gold Sponsors Spud FM, Max 93 and CFCY The Journal Pioneer and the Guardian Ocean 100 & Hot 105.5 Silver Sponsors The City of Summerside Canadian Tire Summerside *Snowman Art by Island Artist Katherine Strongman |
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Fall Newsletter 2025 – Caring ConnectionsClick to View Fall 2025 Newsletter |
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Meet Jack Praught: Grateful PatientKim Thompson and her family recently faced a terrifying experience that could have ended very differently if not for quick thinking, essential medical equipment, and a bit of fortunate timing. On a quiet Sunday morning, Kim and her husband Derek had planned to visit her parents for brunch. But around 10:30 a.m., her mother called to cancel. Her father, Jack Praught, had been experiencing severe abdominal pain radiating into his shoulder since early that morning. Something didn’t feel right. Kim urged her mom to take him to Prince County Hospital, despite his inclination to wait it out. Thankfully, her mom insisted. “Mom got ready and basically gave Dad no choice,” said Kim, “and he didn’t resist as the pain was getting progressively worse!” In the Emergency Department, the staff moved quickly. In Kim’s words, the “doctor on duty (Dr. Everett Zdrill) was absolutely on point and very professional,” ordering a CT scan, Ultrasound, X-Ray and blood work. The scans and tests revealed air in the abdomen, but the cause was unclear. Meanwhile, Jack’s pain became unbearable. Doctors determined that emergency exploratory surgery was necessary. A visiting surgeon, Dr. Stephanie Purcell, highly skilled in these specific cases, was available. Within … View full news story. |
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A Legacy of Community: The Summerside Rotary ClubRotarians believe in service above self; community is at the heart of everything they do. They are volunteers, community leaders, employers, and humanitarians. Collectively, they strive to make a positive impact both globally and locally. For over 80 years, the Rotary Club of Summerside has been serving Islanders in many impactful ways, and their efforts and projects have greatly benefited the community. Rotarians adhere to the motto “service above self.” This principle has guided them toward a variety of service projects, including their long-standing support of the Prince County Hospital Foundation. For decades, the club has been a staunch supporter of PCH, so when asked in 2000 to support the capital campaign for a new PCH, Rotarians were among the most dedicated volunteers, fundraisers, and donors. At that time, the club created the Rotary Golf Classic in partnership with Fitzgerald & Snow to support the hospital. Since its inception, the event has raised over $300,000 for medical equipment and technology for patient care at PCH. Twenty-five years later, the Rotary Golf Classic is still thriving and raises significant funds for PCH and … View full news story. |
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SLPs and FluoroscopyAs part of the $2.67 million Vital Signs appeal this year, Prince County Hospital must update the Fluoroscopy equipment in X-Ray Room 2 of the Diagnostic Imaging Unit (valued at $637,800). This technology is essential for a range of patient procedures and can perform both standard digital radiography (X-ray) and video imaging (Fluoroscopy). Fluoroscopy is used for “dynamic” studies, such as *modified barium swallows, which help PCH Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) like Emily Currie in diagnosing and managing swallowing disorders, especially in patients with neurological conditions like ALS or Parkinson’s. Emily explains it helps visualize how patients swallow foods and liquids, enabling tailored recommendations to ensure their safety. With over 400 swallow studies performed annually, this is just one of the ways Fluoroscopy is an indispensable tool for patient care at PCH. In addition to swallow testing, this equipment is used weekly for fertility studies and X-ray exams, making it one of the most versatile pieces of imaging technology at your hospital – a true “Swiss Army Knife” for Diagnostic Imaging. Colleen Nicholson, Coordinator of General Radiation at PCH, notes that the 12-year-old equipment is becoming slower and prone to service issues. Upgrading will improve imaging quality and reduce radiation exposure, … View full news story. | |
Fluoroscopy Spotlight: Vital Signs 2025Fluoroscopy at PCH In Diagnostic Imaging (DI), updating medical radiation technology is vital for maintaining high standards of patient care. As part of the 2025 Vital Signs Greatest Needs appeal, you will be helping to reinvigorate X-Ray Room 2. Currently, the fluoroscopy equipment used in this room is multidisciplinary, capable of both digital radiography (X-Ray) and live video imaging (Fluoroscopy). Fluoroscopy is used for “dynamic” studies, such as modified barium swallows, which help PCH Speech-Language Pathologists diagnose swallowing difficulties and other related issues. With over 400 such studies performed annually, the need for updated equipment is clear. In addition to swallow testing, this essential equipment is used weekly for fertility studies and general radiology exams, making it one of the most versatile pieces of DI equipment at your hospital. The new Fluoroscopy equipment will significantly improve imaging quality. According to Colleen Nicholson, Coordinator of General Radiation at PCH, the new equipment will also provide higher-definition images with a lower radiation dose for patients. Colleen says of the current fluoroscopy equipment, “…it’s like your computer. After 10 years, you do notice that it’s lagging and slower to respond. It still works, but we have had some service issues with this room.” … View full news story. | |
Vital Signs 2025 LaunchesFor Immediate Release PCH Foundation Launches Vital Signs 2025 Summerside, PEI To continue delivering quality care to all Islanders, the Prince County Hospital requires new and replacement medical equipment and technology annually. Through the 2025 Vital Signs appeal, the PCH Foundation will need the help of Island communities to raise $2,672,425 to meet this need. This is one of the largest annual campaign goals in Foundation history, with $637,800 dedicated to Diagnostic Imaging (DI) equipment alone. Community support will help replace outdated technology in DI’s dual-purpose X-Ray Room 2, used for both Fluoroscopy and general X-ray. Fluoroscopy provides real-time moving X-ray images and is vital for over 400 annual swallow studies and fertility tests. In addition to these dynamic studies, this technology is used for general radiology (X-ray) exams, making it one of the most versatile pieces of DI equipment at the hospital. The Fluoroscopy equipment being introduced in 2025 will significantly improve image quality. According to Colleen Nicholson, Coordinator of General Radiation at PCH, the new equipment will provide higher-definition images with a lower radiation dose for patients. Colleen says of the current Fluoroscopy equipment, “…it’s like your computer. After 10 years, you notice that it’s lagging and slower … View full news story. |
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Spring 2025 Newsletter and 2024 Annual Reportthe spring 2025 edition of the PCH Foundation’s newsletter... | |
PCHF Announces $7 Million in Federal Funding to Support New Multi-Use Facility in SummersideThe Prince County Hospital Foundation is thrilled to announce a $7 Million investment from the Federal Government to support... |
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Vital Signs 2024 CompleteFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2024 Prince County Hospital Foundation Surpasses 2024 Vital Signs Appeal Goal Summerside, Prince Edward Island– The Prince County Hospital Foundation is proud to announce that it has surpassed its ambitious 2024 Vital Signs Appeal goal of raising $2,023,700, a significant achievement in supporting the healthcare needs of Islanders. The funds will provide critical new and replacement medical equipment for Prince County Hospital (PCH), enabling the hospital’s staff to continue delivering high-quality care to patients across the island. As a primary acute healthcare facility, Prince County Hospital serves as a vital resource for residents from every corner of Prince Edward Island. With medical technology constantly evolving, the need to update equipment to the latest standards is essential to ensure that patients receive the best possible care. This year’s Vital Signs Appeal specifically aimed to address the hospital’s greatest needs, including a Chemistry Analyzer for the Laboratory, a Cardiac Ultrasound for Diagnostic Imaging, and Pulmonary Function Testing equipment for Ambulatory Care. “This is a tremendous achievement, and we are deeply grateful to the community for their overwhelming support,” said Derek Bondt, newly minted president of the PCH Foundation’s volunteer board of directors. “Islanders rely on Prince County … View full news story. |
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Fall 2024 Caring Connections NewsletterEnjoy the Fall 2024 edition of the PCH Foundation’s newsletter, caring Connections at the following link Fall 2024 Newsletter for web | |
