As It Has Been Said by So Many People in These Past Few Months…We Are Living in Unprecedented Times
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As it has been said by so many people in these past few months…we are living in unprecedented times. As COVID-19 gripped the world, people turned to the wisdom and expertise of our healthcare providers to guide us through this global pandemic. In our province this has meant that a great deal of support has been rightly laid at the feet of our friends at the Prince County Hospital. This support has taken many forms. From gifts of food and product to the outpouring of sentiments online, we know our health care team has felt incredibly appreciated through these past few months. When the Foundation was presented with a short list of equipment for patient care through this pandemic, we knew we could count on community to support in this way, if they were able. We are pleased to say that the PCH COVID-19 Urgent Needs project was successful in funding such items as a glidescope for ICU, thermometers, and feeding pumps in its first phase. We are grateful that in such a novel time we were able to count on you, our caring communities, to support a “one off” project above and beyond our traditional spring Vital Signs appeal. In this document we have combined a recap of 2019 that serves as the “Annual Report to Our Community” in addition to our spring newsletter. Many Foundation activities and events are being reviewed and either postponed or canceled in the early stages of 2020, not the least of which was our annual meeting. Plans for that meeting are being made in hopes that it can happen soon, in some format. You will also find enclosed some highlights for the 2020 Vital Signs appeal. Though the world is on pause in many ways, the greatest needs for patients at PCH must move forward. We know that in these uncertain times not everyone is in a position to donate as they would like. We hope that, if you are able, you will respond to these greatest needs with a donation within your means. Every dollar truly counts this year and every year. We wish you health and well-being as we all move forward in our efforts to support Prince County Hospital and “Getting Better Together.” Liz Maynard, President Susan Robinson, QC, is Executive Director of the Law Society of Prince Edward Island and a director of Eric C. Robinson Inc., a multi-generational family farming operation in Albany, PEI. She has been involved with various community organizations over the years and previously served on our board from 2006 to 2010. John Davison is an entrepreneur from Kensington where he runs the Haunted Mansion. The Davisons are veterans of the tourism industry, being the former proprietors of Rainbow Valley in Cavendish until its closure in 2005. John is very active in the Kensington community where he lives with his wife Jennifer and their two children Grace and Ben. Leslie MacLean is a CIBC - Manager of Commercial Banking where his role is to work with existing commercial banking clients, ensuring their day to day banking needs are being met. The Woodstock PEI native now resides in Summerside. The UPEI graduate is a husband to Amanda and father to Zackary, Reagan, and Keilah. Les has been a Rotarian since 2013, serving as the treasurer on the Executive Committee. As we embark in these uncertain times, I reflect on you, our donors. I want to acknowledge the impact of your giving and how it enables Prince County Hospital to thrive and adapt in an ever- changing environment. This held true as we worked together in 2019 to purchase the necessary equipment such as Smart Infusion Pumps, Cardiac Monitoring System, Chemistry Analyzer and Fetal Monitor Transducers. Our appreciation and thanks go out to all those who contributed in any way. No one could have predicted that 2020 would find us in a world- wide pandemic. Our administration, staff and physicians at Prince County Hospital have worked tirelessly to prepare for patients with COVID-19 and we feel we are ready. The ongoing threat of COVID-19 to the community has posed many challenges and added stress to our way of life. It takes a great deal of preparation to ensure we have what is required to receive and treat these patients. In the midst of our preparations, I was amazed at the extraordinary support from the community and across PEI. We the staff, physicians, volunteers and patients are inspired by your generosity and humbled by your ongoing support. We look forward to continuing to work together to support safe, quality healthcare amidst the challenges of a pandemic. In closing, I ask you to stay safe, be kind to yourself and one other, as we look ahead to brighter days. Respectfully submitted, Arlene Gallant-Bernard, R.N., B.Sc.N., M.A.E.D., C.H.E. Thanks to previous donations, PCH was able to purchase a GeneXpert! This instrument was funded in 2019, long before any of us were thinking about pandemics. It has been a welcome addiction to the arsenal in our Laboratory as it has given them the ability to perform COVID-19 testing. PCH Lab Manager Sharlene Fennel said in April, “We will be performing inpatient testing which will give the physician tests results within 60 minutes. This will also help conserve Personal Protective Equipment by taking patients with negative tests off isolation precautions within an hour instead of waiting for results to return from the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg. Healthcare workers providing a critical service could also be tested here at PCH. The short turn around time will allow staff to return to work sooner provided their test is negative. Long Term Care residents will also benefit from this service providing earlier detection and management of resident care.” This piece, displayed by Lab Technologist Chantal Gosselin and Lab Supervisor Chris Campbell, can assist in the testing of COVID-19 cases at PCH. As part of the 2020 Vital Signs Appeal (detailed on page 13) you will be funding the replacement of EVERY thermometer at PCH. This roll out began in early spring with the addition of 85 new thermometers that went out to various departments (pictured right). Though thermometers may seem to be a simple item at the surface level, they are absolutely essential to patient care at PCH. In Mid-March the PCH Foundation office went dark, but we found a way to stay in touch virtually as best we could. Work continued to keep the public updated on social media and work continued in preparation for the spring launch of the Vital Sings appeal for 2020. For the first couple of weeks of this global pandemic, PCH was flooded with love from the community. We asked people who may be home with their children to send in photos and art that their kids had produced to celebrate our Healthcare Heroes. Of the 50 or so images that were sent in, we have a few samples on the right. Over the past few months, staff have been inundated with kindness as businesses and community members sought to show PCH how much they care. From meals to hand cream, many items were donated to an appreciative staff. “People were looking for ways they could help…ways they could contribute,” said PCH Foundation’s Managing Director, Heather Matheson. “The healthcare team at PCH informed the Foundation of a vital way in which the public could assist in preparing PCH during the pandemic. There was an urgent need for specific pieces of medical equipment deemed essential in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The Foundation responded to this by launching a short-term appeal that raised $64,500 and provided essential items like a glidescope to help with intubating patients as well as several other important pieces. Internal Medicine Physicians Dr. Michael Irvine and Dr. Nicole Drost display the glidescope from Emergency Dept. used to train Intensive Care staff in preparation for potential COVID-19 patients. Above: Summerside Atlantic Superstore gathered donations for our COVID-19 Project. Manager Pam Smallman, left, joined by cashiers Megan Gunning and Kassidy Arsenault, far right. Left: Nurses training in ICU helped to encourage people to stay home to keep everyone safe during a March facebook promotion. A number of our most loyal donors make their gifts in memory of family members and friends who have passed away. In many cases, we are their charity of choice and donors make their memorial gift knowing that their donation can do a bit of good during such a sad time. Families of loved ones lost are comforted in knowing this and they receive a card each time a donation is made. No gift amount is included, of course, but they are content to know that those donations are used to support the purchase of medical equipment. Memorial giving may be a donation option that appeals to you. Prince County Hospital cares for thousands of Islanders each year and every donation makes a difference. If you are interested in making a gift in memory of a friend or loved one, simply call (902) 432-2547 or give securely online at pchcare.com The PCH Foundation received gifts in memory of the following people in 2019. Barry Adams John “Yogi” Clow Sandra Ilene Gallant Vernon MacDonald Joseph Olswald Pitre Mrs. Georgina Allen Velma Clow Russell Gardiner Yvonne MacDonald Aline Poirier Albina Arsenault Edith Clyke Christopher Gaudet Robert MacDougall Leo Poirier Brian Arsenault Douglas Cole Mike Gaudet Bradford MacInnis David Porter Claudia Arsenault Margaret Cole Jemima Gerrand Charlie MacIntosh Stan Porter Donat Joseph Arsenault Marilyn Cole Jack Gillespie George MacIsaac Angus Quigley Elizabeth Jean Arsenault Wesley & Joan Cole Emma Ray-Lynn Gillis Mr.