FERGUS – CT scanning will take place in a brand new unit at Groves Memorial Community Hospital following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday.
Board staff, township staff, donors and more were on hand for the event yesterday in Fergus.
Last April, Groves Hospital Foundation set out to raise $2 million to replace the aging model that was currently in operation. In about eight months on the back of community and board support, the funds were raised- and Monday, operation of the new scanner began.
In the meantime to bridge the gap between the two models, a mobile CT unit has operated since January.
Lori Arsenault, Executive Director of the Groves Hospital Foundation, says the rapidly raised dollars came as a pleasant surprise.
621 donors, according to a press release, made this “historic” moment possible.
Nearly 7,000 CT scans were run at the hospital last year, it went on to say.
CT scans are useful to diagnose a variety of conditions, the hospital says, including internal injuries, chest pain that could include blood clots as well as monitoring or detecting cancer.
Radiologist Remon Elyas says users will notice several benefits with the new technology.
The collective efforts of the community will allow Groves to administer CT scans quicker and more efficiently, Elyas noted.
Dubbed a “historic” day for the hospital and its foundation, foundation board chair Barb Evoy says the community coming together, while not unusual, is something to commend.
Centre Wellington Mayor Shawn Watters was present for the ribbon-cutting, and said he felt fortunate, and proud of his community.
The fundraising goal needed to bring this machine to the hospital was reached “ahead of schedule.” Arsenault, Evoy, and various other staff welcomed the machine with open arms at the ceremony, following what was called a “highly successful” campaign.
The machine will provide a wider range of tests than the previous model.
