Christmas came a little early for Timmins and District Hospital today as the Hospital Auxiliary presented it with a $75,000 cheque.
The announcement of the donation and the presentation of the cheque was made at the Auxiliary’s Christmas Luncheon by Debbie Dupuis, the gift shop purchaser and Annette Gelinas, the treasurer of Auxiliary to Janna Burke, the executive director of the Timmins and District Hospital Foundation.
More than forty members of the Hospital Auxiliary were in attendance.
“We are very happy to contribute to the improvement of services provided by the hospital,” said Nancy Pandolfi, Auxiliary President. “We want to ensure that the best medical equipment is available to everyone who comes through our doors
The $75,000 contribution will go into the TDAH’s 2013-2016 Capital Campaign and be spent on urgently needed medical equipment including a table top sterilizer ($18,500) for the hospital’s Surgical Program.
Some of the funds will also be used to acquire an electromyography (EMG) machine.
This is a machine that checks the health of muscles and the nerve cells that control them.
“We desperately needed to purchase new equipment such as the EMG machine for our Speciality Clinic,” said Kim Bazinet RN- Unit Manager, ER, ICU, Speciality Clinic and Orthopaedic Clinic.
The EMG machine costs $40,000.
It is used as a diagnostic tool to identify neuromuscular diseases.
Bazinet said she hopes the purchase of the EMG will also help recruit a physiatrist to run the Speciality Clinic.
A physiatrist, or rehabilitation physician treats injuries or illness that affect nerves, muscles, and bones that affect how you move.
The clinic has been without a physiatrist since November.
About 500 patients attend the Speciality Clinic to deal with neurological problems such as Carpal-Tunnel disease and other repetitive stress related ailments.
The remaining funds will be used to buy an automated external defibrillator ($3, 918) to assist patients suffering cardiac arrest and 26 new mattresses ($13,000) for the Hospital’s Inpatient Mental Health Unit.
“Thanks to the hard work and generosity of the hospital’s auxiliary we can move forward and get patients the care they need,” Bazinet added.
“We are thrilled with this generous gift from our Hospital Auxiliary,” said Janna Burke, TAD Foundation Executive Director.
Burke said that donation now brings the Auxiliary’s total all-time contribution to the TDH Fund to $1,415,490.
The TDH Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that raises funds through proceeds from sales at the gift shop, tuck wagon, book and knitting sales.
They also fundraise through sales of “Nevada” tickets, raffles, bazaars and bake sales.
The Auxiliary consists of 112 volunteers.
TDH is the largest hospital in the Northeast and serves over 115,000 people from the James Bay Coast to Engleheart, from Hearst to Kirkland Lake and Timmins.
(PHOTO: Hospital Auxiliary Presents $75,000 Gift to Timmins and District Hospital from left to right: Annette Gelinas, Hospital Auxiliary Treasurer; Debbie Dupuis, Gift Shop Purchaser; Janna Burke, executive director, TADH Foundation; Kim Bazinet, TDH, Unit Manager and Josee Jean, TDH Unit Manager. Frank Giorno for TimminsToday.)
