Current News > February 1st, 2009: Mammography Fundraising Campaign
KDH Foundation Launches Mammography Fundraising Campaign at
Dr. Marla Shapiro event;
Several major gifts confirmed
Kemptville, Ontario, February 1, 2010 – The Kemptville District Hospital Foundation announced the launch of a major fundraising campaign to support the addition of mammography equipment at Kemptville District Hospital. The announcement of the campaign, and of several major commitments already secured, came at the conclusion of a successful breast cancer awareness event featuring CTV’s Dr. Marla Shapiro.
Almost 200 people attended Saturday night’s lecture and cocktail with Dr. Shapiro, where she spoke candidly about her own experience with breast cancer, which was diagnosed in 2004. She admitted that she never expected to be so public about her journey, which was ultimately chronicled during regular appearances on Canada AM and in her bi-weekly column for the Globe and Mail.
Dr. Shapiro also spoke of the importance of breast screening as a tool in the fight against breast cancer and addressed the controversy about the age that mammograms should begin. Her message was that women need to be proactive and discuss screening options with their family physicians.
Following Dr. Shapiro’s discussion, KDH’s Director of Patient Services Catherine Van Vliet and Foundation Director Linda Bell took to the stage for the official announcement that KDH has been approved as a partner to the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) and that the Hospital will be adding mammography services to its Diagnostic Imaging offerings.
“With a higher than average incidence rates of breast cancer and mortality from breast cancer in our local communities, the decision to add mammography services to KDH is expected to help save the lives of local women by detecting cancer earlier. Under OBSP guidelines, almost 11,000 women will be eligible for free screening once the new service is available by the end of 2010,” noted Van Vliet. Currently, only 66% of eligible women in the area are screened.
Mammography Fundraising Campaign Launched
The new service means that the KDH Foundation has launched an immediate appeal for $750,000 to furnish the Mammography Suite. Linda Bell, Director of the KDH Foundation called for community support to provide this life-saving piece of equipment. Dubbed MamCam2010, Bell hopes to have the funds committed by 2012. “With 11,000 women in our community eligible for free breast screening under the OBSP, there is a lot of potential for lives saved through early detection. This really is going to be a life-saving piece of equipment for our community”, said Bell. “Our population is not only growing rapidly, but also aging. The closest OBSP site is 30 minutes away. And, if you don’t have access to a car, you have to rely on family members or friends to drive you. Getting a life-saving screening test should not be so difficult”.
She also reminded those in attendance that a breast cancer is not a woman’s disease but a family disease, as all family members end up affected by the diagnosis.
MamCam2010 kicked off with a bang, with an exciting announcement by KDH Auxiliary President Mary Gervais, who announced that the Auxiliary has committed $100,000 towards the Mammography fundraising campaign. Their pledge will be paid over the next four years. Bell noted that the Hospital is proud of their strong relationship with the Auxiliary.
The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation (ORCF) had supported KDH Foundation previously in their efforts to provide cancer screening close to home and MamCam 2010 will not be any different. Linda Eagen, President & CEO of the ORCF was on-hand to present a cheque for $46,507 to the Campaign, which represented funds raised by local teams who participated in the 2009 Weekend to End Breast Cancer. The ORCF has committed to return a portion of all funds raised by local teams participating in the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers back to Kemptville District Hospital Foundation for the foreseeable future.
And a final cheque presentation was made by Jamie Temple, Owner-Pharmacist of the Shoppers Drug Mart on Hwy 43. During the 2009 Tree of Life campaign, the local Shoppers Drug Mart outlet raised $3962, which was designated for the Mammography campaign.
After announcing a great start to the fundraising campaign, Bell implored those in attendance to consider donating. “Even with such wonderful support from our partners, we need the community’s help to make this a reality. Your gifts to the Mammography Fundraising Campaign will stay in this community and will help us provide this lifesaving cancer screening test to local women”.
More information on the Mammography Fundraising Campaign and how to support this cause can be found at www.kdh.on.ca or by calling Linda Bell at the KDH Foundation at 613-258-6133 x 194.
For more information, please contact:
Linda Bell
Director, Kemptville District Hospital Foundation/ Manager, Hospital Communications
Tel: 613-258-6133 x 194
E-mail: lbell@kdh.on.ca