Headwaters launches $18 million fundraising campaign for MRI

Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Headwaters Health Care Foundation has announced the start of an ambitious fundraising campaign to obtain state-of-the-art technology to help provide access to more healthcare services close to home. 

The not-for-profit healthcare organization launched Smart Headwaters, an $18 million fundraiser to acquire a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine and other vital medical technology to enhance diagnostic capabilities and elevate patient care at Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC). 

“Exceptional community health care requires constant innovation and investment. With the launch of this campaign, we are taking a significant step towards improving the quality of care we can offer to our patients,” said Kim Delahunt, CEO of Headwaters Health Care Centre.

The centrepiece of the Smart Headwaters fundraiser is the acquisition of an MRI machine, which Headwaters said will revolutionize medical services at the hospital, allowing for more accurate and timely diagnoses, improved treatment planning and enhanced patient outcomes. 

“Access to advanced medical imaging services, such as MRI, plays a crucial role in diagnosing and treating a wide range of medical conditions. The new MRI machine will be instrumental in providing our medical professionals with the tools they need to make informed decisions and deliver personalized care tailored to each patient's unique needs,” said Dr. Grace Wang, chief of staff at Headwaters Hospital. 

Joan Waechter, chair of the Smart Headwaters Campaign, and her husband, Paul, pledged $1 million in support of the fundraiser, bringing the total raised to $11.2 million. 

“As campaign chair, I believe we all have a responsibility to ensure that our hospital has the necessary resources to deliver top-notch care close to home,” said Waechter. “By investing in modern equipment like the MRI machine and life-saving services such as the dialysis unit, we are making a profound difference in the lives of countless patients, providing them with the highest quality of care and a renewed sense of home. Together, we can create a stronger, healthier future for our community.” 

Smart Headwaters will fund several additional medical technologies, programs and services at the local hospital, including an expansion and relocation of the dialysis unit, a new computerized tomography (CT) machine, nuclear medicine camera, furthering nursing education, MEDITECH expanse, tomosynthesis mammography, bone densitometry, health information infrastructure, and surgical C-Arm.