Thank-a-Thon
Published Tuesday, June 28, 2022
(Thunder Bay, ON) – The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation wants to thank all of its generous donors, volunteers, event-goers and supporters during their annual Thank-a-Thon, happening today. Although many of the Foundation’s regular activities like events and volunteer opportunities were put on hold the past few years during the pandemic, the generosity of the Foundation’s many donors allowed for millions of dollars of equipment to be purchased, and upgrades to be made at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and its regional programs.
Foundation staff members, board members, and other hospital staff are one again rallying together for a thank-a-thon, where they deliver personalized messages to donors, volunteers, event-goers, and Thunder Bay 50/50 supporters. Thank you messages are sent via email, though phone calls, and posted on social media.
“It’s so great to see the level of support that the community has for our Hospital, even during the pandemic,” says Terri Hrkac, Senior Director of Philanthropy, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. “In the past, we were used to seeing our donors face-to-face in the community, at the Foundation events, and meeting with them in person throughout the year, so since we haven’t been able to do that, we still want to make sure that our donors know just how much we appreciate them. This is a great opportunity to tell everyone what’s been happening in our Hospital – we have been able to purchase some really great equipment this year, thanks to our supporters, and in turn, giving Hospital staff the tools they need to provide exceptional care to patients in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.”
Thanks to the generosity of donors, patient care in the Fracture Clinic received a huge boost this year, with the installation of a brand new X-ray unit, replacing one that was from when the Hospital opened in 2004. The old unit was aging and in desperate need of replacing. Without an on-site X-ray, patients would have to visit Diagnostic Imaging to receive their scans, which could be a burden for patients with mobility issues. This new unit is equipped with auto-positioning, and can also detect the size of body parts being X-rayed and automatically adapts radiation levels accordingly. This makes it safer for both staff and patients.
There are also two new echocardiography machines with complete upgraded software packages making their way to the Hospital. Echocardiograms use ultrasound waves to image certain areas of the body including the heart to diagnose conditions, for treatment planning, and for treatment monitoring. Today’s new technology is lighter, easier to use, and more portable than ever. These multi-purpose units will be used for cardiovascular, cancer, Emergency Department, NICU, and other patients throughout the Hospital without transferring the patient – the portable unit comes to them.
Equipment purchased this past year will benefit departments including Regional Cancer Care, Urology, Forensic Mental Health, Labour & Delivery, NICU, Paedatric Outpatient, Intensive Care Unit, and the Emegency Department to name a few. For a complete list of all the equipment funded in 2021 through the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, visit healthsciencesfoundation.ca/equipment-funded