Hospital receives historic $1.4 million-plus donation

West Haldimand General Hospital and Hospital Foundation are celebrating a historical milestone.

The foundation recently received a $1,448,767.95 donation. It is the largest single donation in the foundation’s history and it comes courtesy of the Hagersville Catch the Ace Draw, which spanned 45 weeks.

“Today is an incredible day for everyone who lives in our community,” Lisa Hostein, the foundation’s executive director, said in a release. “The impact this gift will have on patient care is nothing short of momentous.

“I cannot thank the Hagersville Rocks Committee, the Hagersville Lions, the Hagersville Chamber of Commerce, the Hagersville Legion, and all of the wonderful volunteers enough.”

Hospital and foundation officials say the donation provides a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to upgrade the hospital’s clinical patient equipment. The hospital will be able to enhance and expand services, invest in state-of-the-art medical equipment and improve patient care.

The donation will make a significant difference in the lives of our patients, their families, and the wider community, hospital and foundation officials said in a statement.

The donation will support diagnostic imaging, the emergency department, the inpatient unit, pharmacy and laboratory services and a new X-ray suite expected to cost $650,000.

The new X-ray equipment will replace outdated existing equipment. New digital technology is safer, provides better quality of images and enhances overall patient care and experience, hospital officials said.

The donation will also enable the hospital to upgrade its mammography equipment at an estimated cost of $150,000. Mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early and is an essential service for maintaining a healthy community, hospital officials said.

The new equipment will provide 3D Tomosynthesis, a novel imaging technology that captures three-dimensional images of the breast. This will increase cancer detection rates, hospital officials say.

The hospital performs approximately 1,400 exams a year.

In addition, the hospital plans to spend $353,500 on state of the art pharmacy equipment and technology. The investment will enhance medication tracking and management and help optimize staff workflows and strategic purchasing, hospital officials said.

The remaining funds will be used to support high priority areas of the hospital inside the emergency department, inpatient unit and the laboratory.

Todd Stepanuik, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer, called the Hagersville Catch the Ace Lottery’s transformative support.

“We are honored to be the recipient of this monumental gift and thank Hagersville Rocks for its extraordinary generosity,” Stepaniuk said in the statement. “Their partnership speaks to the pride and commitment in preserving services at WHGH.

“This historic contribution enables us to forge ahead with much needed patient care equipment.”

Stepaniuk said the donation has not only changed lives but touched the hearts of the everyone at the hospital in ways beyond expression.

It paves the the way for the hospital to further enhance its state-of-the-art equipment, aligning with its unwavering commitment to deliver excellence, he added.

“When asked about Catch the Ace, I’m amazed at how far we came,” Tanya Ribbink, Hagersville Rocks Music Festival co-chair, said. “What started out as a weekly social event at the Legion; turned into a history making fundraiser for our town.

“Being a part of the Hagersville Rocks Music Festival has been extremely rewarding, but never so much as when we were able to present that giant check to the Foundation.”

Ribbink said the festival wanted to support the local hospital because it’s the heartbeat of Hagersville.

“To be able to step up and help maintain the level of excellence that is provided by the staff at WHGH is a feather in our cap for sure,” Ribbink said. “We are beyond thrilled at the success we saw with Catch the Ace and equally thrilled to be able to pass those proceeds on to the foundation.”

The weekly Catch The Ace draw was put on by the Hagersville Lions Club, and the Hagersville Rocks committee of the town’s Chamber of Commerce. The draw raised close to $3 million.

The Lions Club donated half of their proceeds to the Hagersville Food Bank and put the remainder toward community projects.

The draw lasted for 45 weeks and came to an end in April when Richard Marshall, 83, of Nanticoke won the progressive jackpot of $1,831,617 on top of the $203,678 weekly draw.

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