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Headwaters’ Radiothon targets hospital’s infrastructure and equipment needs

March 30, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Pickford

As a part of its 20th birthday celebration, the Headwaters Health Care Foundation (HHCF) will be presenting a brand new fundraiser to the community next week as it aims to deal with the local hospital’s burgeoning infrastructure and equipment deficit.

For years, the Foundation has stepped up where the provincial government has failed in providing funds to maintain and upgrade the hospital’s essential equipment and programming. With the support of the public, Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) today stands as a beacon for how a medical facility and fundraising foundation operates in Canada.

With regular annual events such as the Hospital Gala, Tour de Headwaters and Headwaters House Tour, the Foundation has come up with numerous ways to effectively raise funds over the course of the year. Next week, it will unveil another, in the form of the community’s first-ever ‘Radiothon’.

Aired and supported by local radio station myFM, the hospital’s needs will be featured for a 12-hour period from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. next Wednesday, April 5.

Speaking to the Citizen last week, HHCF’s fundraising manager Nicole Hand said this was an “exciting opportunity” to raise both money and awareness throughout the community.

“This radiothon is an exciting, fantastic opportunity for our local hospital. We’re going to be featured for a full 12-hour block where we’ll have different sponsors, donors and physicians coming in to talk about Headwaters Health Care Centre and all the good it does for the community,” Ms. Hand said. “Our chief of staff and new president and CEO will also be on air to talk about the facility and accept donations for the hospital.”

Presented by Clintar Landscape Management Orangeville and supported by a number of other sponsors, including Investors Group Orangeville, Orangeville Hydro and Realtors Doug and Chris Schilds, the Radiothon has what Ms. Hand described as a “very conservative” goal of $5,000. All the money raised will go towards the $2.8 million the facility is slated to spend on new equipment in its 2017/2018 year.

“One of our biggest needs this year is filling the brand new 8,700 square foot ambulatory care building, so we have $600,000 worth of stuff going in there,” Ms. Hand said. “We’re also going to be renovating one of our operating rooms – so that means new vital sign monitors and other equipment. We’re buying some new stretchers, new beds, new chairs… Our entire chemotherapy lab is going to be (upgraded) too.”

She added, “We have a lot going on this year.”

While acknowledging that the hospital has been incredibly well supported by the local community, Ms. Hand said  she feels there are still those out there who don’t understand why the Foundation has to go to such great lengths to secure funds for much-needed programming and equipment.

“In some ways I feel the community doesn’t really realize that the government does not pay for hospital equipment. Bricks and mortar, yes. Physicians, absolutely. But when we want to upgrade our equipment or launch new programs to serve our patients more effectively, we have to come up with that money on our own,” Ms. Hand said. “Ultimately, we want to be able to provide the best possible care for area residents close to home.”

She added, “We’re going to be celebrating our 20th birthday in May and although it’s a little unorthodox to ask for birthday presents, we’re saying if you can bring us a gift today we promise that gift will come back to you in the future.”

For more information on the Radiothon, or to prearrange an on-air cheque presentation, contact Nicole Hand at 519-941-2702. Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by calling 519-943-7210.

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