Community matches donations for mammography machine at Headwaters

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Dufferin-Caledon community has answered the call for donations from Headwaters Health Care Foundation (HHCF) to help bring updated equipment to the region's hospital – raising more than $200,000. 

HHCF started raising donations for their annual holiday campaign at the beginning of November and collected donations up until December 31. As part of the 2020 holiday campaign, donations to Headwaters Health Care Foundation were matched dollar-for-dollar by the Morningview Foundation up to $200,000. 

With the gift and community donations HHCF raised a combined $400,000 to go towards the purchase of a new mammography machine with tomosynthesis (3D imaging) at the local hospital. 

Dora Boylen-Pabst, CEO of Headwaters Health Care Foundation, previously told the Free Press the 3D imaging aspect of the new mammography machine will help idenitfy harder to diagnose cases.

“The new mammography machine at Headwaters will enable us to acquire high quality digital mammographic images efficiently while minimizing radiation exposure and maximizing our ability to detect breast cancer as early as possible,” said Dr. Dan Mozeg at Headwaters Health Care Centre.

“With the introduction of the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) to Headwaters several years ago, the need for high quality breast imaging and diagnosis continues to increase and the acquisition of this new machine will help us to meet this need and care for our patients,” he added.

Headwaters Health Care Centre annually sees mammography volumes topping over 3,600. 

The new machine purchased by the hospital is replacing Headwaters current one, which is over 10 years old and nearing the end of its usage. The cost of the mammography machine with tomosynthesis imaging sits around $575,000. 

Headwaters Health Care Foundation said with the $400,000 raised through the campaign, plus a “top up” gift donated in early January by a long-time community member and Headwaters supporter, allowed the hospital was able to make the purchase. 

“Thanks to our community, including the Morningview Foundation, for the difference your support will make in the lives of our patients and their families,” said Boylen-Pabst. “Thanks to you a new mammography machine is en route to Headwaters. We quire simply could not have done it without you.”