Legion Donation Supports New $2.8M CT Scanner at County Hospital
Date: October 05, 2023
As Thanksgiving weekend approaches, the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation (PECMHF) is recognizing continued community support, including a recent contribution from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 160 in Wellington.
Representing the branch’s Poppy Fund Committee, Peter Campbell presented a $2,000 donation raised during the 2022 Poppy Campaign. Over the past 22 years, Branch 160 has contributed more than $20,000 to support hospital care in Prince Edward County.
Donations like this are being directed toward the $2.8 million CT scanner that will be installed in the new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, marking the first time such diagnostic equipment will be available locally. Fundraising for the scanner will continue until the hospital opens in 2027.
A CT scanner provides highly detailed internal images and is used to diagnose conditions such as strokes, trauma, cardiac issues, internal bleeding, and appendicitis. In 2022 alone, County patients required transfer to other Quinte Health hospitals for CT scans more than 2,100 times.
According to Briar Boyce, senior development officer with the foundation, community and Legion support plays a vital role in improving patient care particularly for veterans, who benefit directly from the Poppy Fund’s mission.
Nancy Parks, chair of the Back the Build campaign, said the new scanner will allow Care Champions in the new hospital to provide faster, more accurate diagnoses, noting that CT scanners are now considered standard medical equipment.
In addition to emergency use, the scanner will support outpatient testing, early cancer detection, orthopedic imaging, and surgical planning, while also reducing wait times and patient transfers.
The 2023 Poppy Campaign runs from October 27 to November 11, with proceeds supporting veterans, their families, and local health-care services.
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