A Peterborough County area Lions Club is provided a quarter of a million dollars to the cardiac catheterization lab at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
On Saturday, members of the Chemung Lake District Lions Club presented $250,000 to the PRHC Foundation to support the hospital’s cardiac cath lab project. The foundation is aiming to raise $3.5 million to replace and update the hospital’s two cardiac cath lab suites.
The Lions Club, which serves the communities of Bridgenorth, Ennismore, Buckhorn, Lakehurst and Curve Lake, also made a major donation to cath lab efforts in 2010 when cancer treatment efforts began at PRHC.
“It is felt that the cardiac cath lab project will assist many in the community, that is served by the Lions Club to lead a healthier and happy life,” stated Gord Taylor, the district Lions Club president.
“The motto of the Lions Club organization is ‘We Serve’ and Lions believe that 100 per cent of money raised in the community should be returned to the community.”
PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway accepted the donation, noting it will go a long way toward keeping lifesaving cardiac care close to home.
“We’re so grateful to the Chemung Lake District Lions Club members for their visionary support of this project,” she said. “Every year, thousands of patients from all over central eastern Ontario receive lifesaving, minimally invasive cardiac stenting and diagnosis at PRHC’s cath lab. Without the labs, they might have to travel as far away as Kingston or Toronto at a time when every second counts.
“Reinvesting in the suites also means access to advances in technology, resulting in better picture quality and resolution during procedures, lower radiation exposure, and shorter procedure times,” she added. “On behalf of everyone at PRHC, as well as our future patients and their loved ones, thank you for helping to keep our hearts here.”
The Lions also made two $500 donations for the hospital’s childhood cancer clinic. The funds were raised by Lion member Lydia Elliott and a committee of volunteers who held a drive-thru pasta dinner in Buckhorn on Oct. 17. The event raised $500 which was matched by $500 by the Lions Club from other donations.