This GivingTuesday, the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital (PECMH) Foundation is calling on the community to come together for one powerful day of generosity to help bring a new digital mammography machine to the new PECMH.

GivingTuesday is a global celebration of kindness and philanthropy, held each year after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s a moment when people everywhere come together to strengthen their communities through donations, volunteering, and simple acts of care.

This year, PECMH Foundation’s GivingTuesday focus is clear: ensuring that patients in Prince Edward County have access to the most advanced breast screening equipment available. A new digital system will deliver faster, sharper, and more reliable mammogram images, the very tools that make early breast cancer detection possible.

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among Canadian women, with 1 in 8 expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime. Each year, approximately 28,000 women and 270 men in Canada hear the words “you have breast cancer.” The good news is that early detection saves lives, nearly 90% of women diagnosed at an early stage survive at least five years after diagnosis. A new digital mammography machine will give patients in Prince Edward County the best chance at early detection and lifesaving treatment.

For Milford resident Judy Plomer, the cause is deeply personal. Each year when she visits the hospital for her mammogram, she’s reminded of her mother, Rosemary Crockett, who was just 47 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1976, a time when breast screening services weren’t yet available. “From the day we lost my mom, I promised myself I would never take early detection for granted,” Judy shares. “I’ve had a mammogram every year since. It’s the most important test a woman can get.”

Despite enduring radical surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, Rosemary passed away at age 59, leaving behind her husband and four children. Judy’s story is a powerful reminder of how far medical technology has come.

On GivingTuesday, December 2, the PECMH Foundation invites the community to support the campaign to purchase a new digital mammography machine, estimated to cost $1M.

More than 1,550 mammograms were performed at PECMH last year. However, the hospital’s current equipment is over 12 years old and has surpassed its recommended lifespan. The new machine will ensure patients continue to receive fast, accurate diagnoses and compassionate care close to home, including in the County’s new hospital currently under construction.

This year, the PECMH Foundation is dedicating GivingTuesday to honour Rosemary Crockett and all those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.

“I truly wish my mom had the opportunity for a mammogram,” Judy says. “It could have changed everything. My hope is that others will have that chance.”

On Tuesday, December 2, visit www.pecmhf.ca to make your GivingTuesday gift. Every donation will help bring life-saving 3D mammography technology to Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital. Together, we can make early detection possible for more people and ensure a healthier future for everyone in The County.