A breast cancer survivor group in the City of Kawartha Lakes continues to show its support for Ross Memorial Hospital with a $10,000 donation to support a new 3-D mammography unit.
On Wednesday, the group presented the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation with the cheque for the mammography unit. Construction is still underway in the space to house the unit. The hospital says mammography services have been suspended until the new equipment is installed in the larger and more accessible space.
The Dragon Flies, formed in the fall of 2002, feature members who have been diagnosed and/or treated for breast cancer. They rely on the sport of dragon boating to encourage and maintain a healthy lifestyle and raise funds for cancer research and programs.
“The Dragon Flies have been loyal supporters through every enhancement of our breast imaging technology at the Ross,” stated Erin Coons, RMH Foundation executive director.
“Now we’re just weeks away from launching our new 3-D mammography unit, which wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing generosity of donors such as the Dragon Flies.
“The gifts they’ve made to the Foundation are gifts to every patient and all of their loved ones. They touch the entire community.”
The Foundation states the three-dimensional imaging helps physicians to view the breast in thin sections, enabling them to detect small cancers sooner and to pinpoint the exact size and location of a breast lesion.
“This new technology provides better visualization of dense breast tissue, and decreases the need to call patients back to get more images, which leads to further waiting and worry,” the Foundation said.
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With Wednesday’s gift, the Dragon Flies’ contributions to the RMH Foundation now sits at $380,328.72.
“Their support has helped to purchase life-saving equipment, including a sentinel node machine, a mammoviewer, ultrasound and digital mammography equipment, and MRI breast imaging software,” Coons said.