As the need for priority medical equipment never stops, Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital is grateful for a second donation from the Royal Canadian Legion in Wellington.

Ken MacMillan on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 160 Poppy Fund Committee presented members of the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation with a gift of $2,500 on Wednesday, January 13. The funds were raised through the 2020 Poppy Fund Campaign.

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is charged with raising over $330,000 for equipment this year. Of that, $11,662 has been designated for the purchase of Centrella SMART bed for the inpatient unit at PECMH. The Legion’s $2,500 gift will help purchase this bed. The Legion gave $2,000 in October toward the purchase of a food steamer.

Last year, there were 845 inpatient visits with the average length of stay being between five and six days. The Centrella Smart bed is fully adjustable with electronic controls. Raising or lowering the bed makes it easier to get into or out of, reducing the risk of a fall and further injury. Patients benefit from these new beds which offer a supportive and therapeutic surface to optimize healing. The mattress is designed to reduce the incidence of pressure injuries and is built with a high weight capacity. The bed also offers easy to understand verbal safety prompts such as, ‘the care team has been called’ or ‘brake not set’. The USB port also makes charging electronic devices more accessible to the patient. This is will be the fifth Smart bed to be added to the fleet on the PECMH inpatient unit.

 “We are especially grateful to the Poppy Fund Committee for this gift to help us purchase this SMART bed to help aid in a patients healing journey,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “It’s vital for our community to continue to ensure our County hospital is equipped with the latest technology to keep our patients healthy. We are also proud to announce with this gift, Branch 160’s cumulative giving total to our hospital over the past 19 years has surpassed $10,000.”

In addition to the bed, PECM Hospital is in need of a replacement bladder scanner and a steamer to prepare more nutritional meals for our patients. We are also helping to raise funds for equipment needed for the maternal child unit at QHC Belleville General Hospital, where approximately 150 County babies are born each year.

“Our mission is to advance health care to our patients, and it is only through the support of our community that we can help ensure veterans receive the care they need and are treated with the respect they deserve,” said Barbara McConnell, chair of the PECMH Foundation. Over the years, our four local Legion branches, Picton, Wellington, Consecon and Deseronto have contributed to excellent care at PECMH. We are pleased to know their contributions and those of Provincial Command are not only helping ensure the best care for veterans, but for every one in Prince Edward County.”

Each November, as we respectfully wear our poppies in tribute to those who have fought and died for our country, many of us may not fully realize the direct impact these four-petaled flowers have on our community. While the primary purpose of the Poppy Fund is to provide assistance to former servicemen and women in need, a large portion of the funds raised in Prince Edward County help support charitable organizations in our community that provide service and care to veterans.

“Through your donations to the Legion Poppy Fund, the Legion provides financial assistance and support to veterans, including Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, and their families who are in need,” said Ken MacMillan, chairperson of Branch 160’s Poppy Fund. “We are thankful to everyone who supports the poppy campaign. Because of you, we are able to help others living in this community, including patients at the hospital have access to a good night’s rest.”

Thanks to strong partnerships with the various levels of Legion governance, the PECMH Foundation has on several occasions been the beneficiary of such funding. In the last 15 years, the Foundation has been the recipient of $101,975 in donations from local Legion branches, Ladies Auxiliaries and the Provincial Command Charitable Foundation. These donated funds come largely through poppy fund sales.

“Community support is so important because the government does not fund medical equipment. It is the responsibility of PECM Hospital Foundation, through the generosity of our donors, organizations and community partners, like the Royal Canadian Legion, that we can meet our obligation to purchase vital medical equipment needed across our region. This helps to ensure our caregivers can continue to deliver great care, close to home,” said Coull.

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization whose mission is to raise money to advance health care for the people of Prince Edward County.