HHHS Foundation

Friday, August 16, 2024

The MooseFM Health Radiothon presented by Minden Subaru with a double match raised over five hundred and thirty thousand dollars for women's health in the highlands. A huge thank you to all who supported through donations, volunteers who helped throughout the two days, hourly sponsors and prize donors - we couldn't have done it without you. We look forward to providing more details and updates in the weeks to come! 

Friday, August 9, 2024

Two Highlands residents are here to tell their stories because they had timely mammograms

Bringing mammography to Haliburton County will save lives – Please support the MooseFM Health Radiothon t to improve local healthcare

Darlene Armstrong and Tammy Rea may not know each other but they share a similar story – breast cancer caught early means that they are alive today. And they want everyone to know just how important local access to digital mammography is for the women of Haliburton County.

The Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation (HHHS Foundation) Here for You in the Highlands campaign is raising money to ensure a new and state-of-the-art digital mammography unit is available in the County. Every dollar donated during the upcoming MooseFM Health Radiothon on August 15 & 16 will receive two more dollars through two matching gifts. The new digital mammography equipment is expected to be installed and operating by the end of this year.

“Tragically, two members of my book club have died from cancer and I might have been another statistic in the club,” says Gull Lake resident Tammy Rea. “I consider it a miracle. I’m one of the lucky ones as I was able to take the time and have the resources to travel outside the County for a mammogram.”

Tammy was diagnosed with stage zero breast cancer, something that could only be detected through a screening mammogram. She received treatment quickly and is back to her busy life as a mom, wife, and community organizer. In July, she participated in the 15-kilometer swim challenge organized by the Canadian Cancer Society.

When Darlene Armstrong of Haliburton discovered a lump on her breast, she traveled to Peterborough for the mammogram that confirmed the diagnosis.

“I was very surprised to be diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 45,” said Darlene.  “I live a healthy, active lifestyle.  In 2018, I would not have qualified for regular mammogram screening because I was considered too young.  I am pleased to hear the guidelines for screening are changing and women aged 40 will now qualify”.

Given the family history and the results of her mammogram, the healthcare team was concerned the cancer would spread throughout her body. Darlene underwent successful chemotherapy and radiation. “To put it bluntly, screening says lives.  It saved mine,” she says. Darlene, who is on staff at HHHS and a county resident, is acutely aware of the need in the Haliburton Highlands.

Tammy and Darlene both stress the importance of regular mammograms but also know the strain in terms of time and money makes it difficult or impossible for many County residents to make the trip to Peterborough or Lindsay for the 15-minute diagnostic test. What is considered routine in urban centres can be a huge barrier for women in rural areas.

“I cannot overstate the importance of a getting a regular mammogram. How lucky we will be to have this screening test closer to our homes,” says Darlene. For the past six years, she has taken a day off work to travel to Peterborough for her mammograms. 

Local access to mammography will be especially important as the province recently announced that women over 40 will be regularly referred for a mammogram at their annual checkup. Women over 70 will have to continue to ask for their mammogram each year.

There are an estimated 6,000 women in the Highlands at risk of breast cancer who will benefit from easy access to digital mammography. It is a disease which can be successfully treated if caught early, as Tammy and Darlene can attest to.

 “I am grateful I am here to use my voice to help bring this life-saving equipment to Haliburton County,” says Tammy. “My money is supporting mammography and I am encouraging everyone in this amazing community to do the same.”

The HHHS Foundation is the recipient of the annual MooseFM Health Radiothon which takes place this year from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on August 15 and 16, presented by Minden Subaru and hosted by Rick Lowes.

How to support the Radiothon:

• Online donations: www.hhhs.ca/foundation/give
• Over the phone: 705-457-1580 or 705-286-1580
• In-person donation locations (10-4 p.m. Aug 15 & 16):
  • Beside Wind in the Willows, 152 Highland Street, Haliburton
  • Todd’s Independent Grocer, 5121 Haliburton County Rd 21, Haliburton
  • Dollo’s Foodland, 12325 ON-35, Minden
  • Parks’ Foodland, 188 Highland Street, Haliburton
  • Tim Horton’s drive-thru in Minden 
  • MooseFm Radio station 6am-6pm, 152 Highland Street, Haliburton

Limited hourly sponsorships available: call 705-457-1580, first come first served.

Plus special challenges and prizes throughout the day. To learn more about how HHHS is Here for You and how you can make a gift during the Radiothon which will be double matched, please visit the HHHS Foundation website: hhhs.ca/foundation.

For more information about the campaign and to discuss how you can get involved please contact, Executive Director, Melanie Klodt Wong (mklodtwong@hhhs.ca) 705-457-1580

Friday August 2, 2024

Eagle Lake resident Richard Muir expresses gratitude for life-saving care received at HHHS

Radiothon matching gift offers 100,000 reasons to donate to Here for You in the Highlands to support local access to mammography

Long-time Eagle Lake resident and business owner Richard Muir is challenging all Highlanders to donate to Here for You in the Highlands by offering a $100,000 gift to be matched by donations received at the upcoming MooseFM Health Radiothon presented by Minden Subaru. From personal experience, Richard Muir knows just how important hospitals are to rural communities.

In September 2022, he experienced discomfort that went away but came back later in the evening. Luckily for him, his sister-in-law, an Emergency Department nurse happened to be visiting. She immediately sensed this could be a significant health event, insisted he get to Haliburton without delay and called 911. EMS was at the cottage on Eagle Lake in less than 20 minutes. He arrived at the hospital just as quickly and minutes later he experienced a massive cardiac arrest.

“I would have died if I had not gone to the hospital,” he says. “I could not have received better care than what I did in Haliburton. It was second to none. Dr. Mason and the staff there, kept me alive. They performed 26 minutes of CPR until the heart medication started working and then made sure I made it to a cardiac care centre as quickly as possible by helicopter. I thank God for my family and for being here, alive, at 74-years-of-age.”

Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation (HHHS Foundation) is the recipient of the annual Moose FM Health Radiothon which takes place this year from 6am-6pm on  August 15 and 16 presented by Minden Subaru and hosted by Rick Lowes. The focus is on mammography and women’s health. Here for You is raising funds to bring the most modern digital mammography unit to the County. It is expected to be in place and operational by late 2024.

This new diagnostic service will save time, money and lives. There are 6,000 women who will benefit from easy access to the digital mammography unit.  Early diagnosis of breast cancer offers the greatest chance for successful treatment and survival.

The Radiothon will feature interviews with breast cancer survivors, healthcare specialists and those who have been touched by the healthcare they have received at HHHS, like Richard Muir.

The Muir family were first introduced to Eagle Lake by family friends. They have owned and operated Silver Eagle Cottages on Eagle Lake for nearly twenty years and have shared this beautiful place with all the wonderful people they’ve met along the way.

The generous matching donation from Richard Muir will add to the Here for You in the Highlands current matching campaign and all donations to the Radiothon will be double matched. Each $1 donated will be matched by two matching donations for a total of a $3 – triple the impact.

How to support the Radiothon:

• Online donations: www.hhhs.ca/foundation/give
• Over the phone:  705-457-1580 or 705-286-1580
• In-person donation locations (10-4pm Aug 15 & 16):
  • Beside Wind in the Willow, 152 Highland Street, Haliburton
  • Todd’s Independent Grocer, 5121 Haliburton County Rd 21, Haliburton
  • Dollo’s Foodland, 12325 ON-35, Minden
  • Parks’ Foodland, 188 Highland Street, Haliburton
  • Tim Horton’s drive-thru in Minden & Haliburton
  • MooseFm Radiostation 6am-6pm, 152 Highland Street, Haliburton

Hourly sponsorships available: call 705-457-1580, first come first served. Plus special challenges and prizes throughout the day. Call In! Tune In! 

The 2024 Matt Duchene Charity Golf Classic, held on July 19, 2024, at Blairhampton Golf Club was a hats-off success! Once again, the community demonstrated exceptional generosity, bringing in $222,000 to support the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation.

This achievement is a testament to the sustained commitment of our sponsors and volunteers whose collective efforts brought the event to life.

The spirited participation of golfers and guests alike brought an enthusiastic energy that endured until the final winning bid, thanks to the stories and guidance of MC Paul Longo and the persuasive talents of Auctioneer Keith Moore. Special recognition goes to the Duchene family, whose dedication has ensured the continuity and success of this much-anticipated annual event.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all who contributed to the triumph of the 2024 MDCGC, especially the organizing committee: Troy Austen, Vince Duchene and Susannah Moylan for the time and talent they volunteered once again. Your support is instrumental in supporting healthcare in Haliburton County. Photos from the event area available from the Events Page.

We look forward to another memorable event 2025!

Campaign for the Best Health Care in the Highlands

Haliburton Highlands Health Service Foundation is embarking on a $4.3-million campaign that will allow Haliburton Highlands Health Services to bring life-saving diagnostic imaging equipment to Haliburton County residents, guests, and visitors.

To enhance its important Diagnostic Imaging suite of services, HHHS has received approval from the Ministry of Health to purchase and operate technologically advanced CT Scanning and Mammography tomosynthesis equipment (CT Mammography).

CT Scanner critical addition to diagnostic imaging in the Highlands

There is a recognized older demographic in the geographic area served by HHHS. By 2029 Canadian Census data indicates the number of those 80+ in the Haliburton Highlands will increase by over 50 percent compared to 2019.  Older individuals often have complex medical conditions that increase with age. A CT scanner is a necessary tool to diagnose and monitor such conditions.

CT scans are used frequently to diagnose an injury and/or determine medical treatment, often in emergency situations. They can detect everything from life-threatening blood clots in the lungs, to brain hemorrhages, acute appendicitis, fractures, or internal bleeding caused by trauma. CT scan is also vital in diagnosing and monitoring pathologies like aneurysms and cancer treatment follow-up.

With an aging population and an abundance of high-risk recreational and work activities in the area, it is important that diagnostic imaging services are available close by. This will provide quick diagnoses of critical illnesses and injuries.

With these tools in the Highlands, it decreases the number of out-of-town transfers to other care facilities and expedites access to specialists. These trips are costly and can be difficult for many due to their health conditions. According to Haliburton Emergency Medical Services (EMS), they complete 300 transfers yearly to health care facilities outside the Highlands for patients requiring a CT scan which equates to $216,000 a year.

Bringing mammography screening closer to home

When breast cancer is diagnosed early, almost all patients will survive for a minimum of five years. However, if breast cancer is diagnosed at a later stage of the disease only three in ten will survive for at least 5 years according to Cancer Care Ontario. Bringing mammography close to home will decrease travel time and potential wait times for this important screening test.

Highlanders currently travel long distances to access mammography screening services. Quick and local access will encourage more people to book routine screening mammograms. The goal: as many people as possible screened for breast cancer at the earliest possible stage.

Why the $4.3-million campaign is important to Highlanders

The main advantages of having the most up-to-date diagnostic services:

• Local access to CT and mammography digital imaging, decreased turnaround times, decreased travel, decreased pressure on EMS transfers and peace of mind that vital diagnostic services are close to home.
• Patients can be assessed and the decision to treat locally or transport to a major centre can be done safer and more efficiently for the patient and the health care system.
• Attract and help retain health care professionals – doctors, nurses, allied health care professionals. Bringing more experts in their field to optimize health care in the Highlands.

For more information, please contact:  Melanie Klodt Wong, Executive Director | 705-457-1580 |  mklodtwong@hhhs.ca

hhhsf5050.ca
50/50 LOTTERY
HHHS Foundation monthly online 50/50 lottery is an exciting and fun way to support hospital and health care facility equipment needs. Tickets are $40.00 for 300 ticket numbers, $20.00 for 100 ticket numbers, $10.00 for 20 ticket numbers, and $5.00 for 5 ticket numbers.

After buying your tickets online, you will receive a confirmation e-mailed with your 50/50 registered numbers from a Random Selection System. The amount of the 50/50 estimated prize will be displayed in real time on the Foundation lottery site at www.hhhsf5050.ca and will continue to grow throughout the month.

Click on the BUY TICKETS NOW button for more information or to purchase tickets. Want to buy your tickets in person?  They're available at the Foundation Haliburton office.  Call 705 457 1580 for details.  Don't miss your chance to win!  Enter monthly to qualify for both an early bird and grand prize jackpot!

Purchasers must be in the province of Ontario at time of purchase, and be 18 years of age or older. License #RAF1321046

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Use the contact form to reach out to ask us any questions, or call us at 705-457-1580