BATHURST– The Radiothon of Roses, an event organized by the four Acadie-Bathurst Hospital Foundations, was launched today. Its goal is to raise awareness of the fight against cancer while raising funds to improve cancer screening and treatment services at our regional hospital and to support the Acadian Peninsula facilities in meeting their specific needs.
This year’s objective is to raise $180,000 in order to acquire the Ortho Vision transfusion medicine machine at the Chaleur Regional Hospital. According to Pierre A. Noël, Laboratories Manager, Acadie-Bathurst, “This equipment will be a major asset for the Chaleur Regional Hospital laboratory, which also serves hospitals on the Acadian Peninsula for specific and urgent blood tests. The function of this device is to safely deliver blood products and derivatives during a blood transfusion, with accuracy and speed being among its greatest advantages. As for the link with the fight against cancer, Chronic anemia (low blood volume) is a common complication in patients with advanced cancer or after aggressive chemotherapy. Blood transfusion usually occurs with the following clinical signs of anemia: lack of oxygenation and heart function. The purpose of blood transfusions is therefore to reverse this anemia (decrease in blood flow).
In addition, for the Fondation Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus of Caraquet, equipment in the areas of Medical Imaging, Automated Breast Ultrasound machine and Physiotherapy will be acquired. For the Fondation de l’Hôpital de Lamèque, funds will be provided to the Medical Unit through a project aimed at the multisensory room approach, Ambulatory Care, Spiritual Care, the Chronic Illness Clinic and the Nutrition Department. And for the Fondation Les Amis de l’Hôpital de Tracadie, the acquisition of equipment for Respiratory Therapy, Concentrated Care, Sensory Medicine and the Laboratory will be possible thanks to the Roses Radiothon.
The chairpersons of the Roses Radiothon, Mona Losier, Chaleur Regional Hospital Foundation, Joseph Lanteigne and Annie-Julie Gauvin, Fondation Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus de Caraquet, Marie-Jeanne Noël, La Fondation de l’Hôpital de Lamèque Inc. and Eric Robichaud, Fondation Les Amis de l’Hôpital de Tracadie, all agree that “For us, especially in these difficult times caused by the pandemic, this activity is an opportunity to make the population even more aware of the importance of having our health care at home first and to show them that by working together, as a region, we can help our health care professionals by equipping them with state-of-the-art technology. We are ready to take up the challenge again this year!”
As for the last edition, which took place on April 30, we remember that the population of the Chaleur and Acadian Peninsula regions responded to the call to mobilize in the fight against cancer and for the continuous improvement of health care in our region in a remarkable way. Thanks to a record amount of more than $239,000, we were able to proceed with the purchase of an automated breast ultrasound machine for our regional hospital. According to Dr. Denis Thériault, Head Local Department of the Diagnostic Imaging, Acadie-Bathurst Zone at the Chaleur Regional Hospital, “The Automated Breast Ultrasound machine, which we are the first in the province to have is a very important acquisition for the population of Acadie-Bathurst and will allow us to respond to the increasing demand for breast screening ultrasound.”
Myriam Lévesque (Diagnostic Imaging Technologist) and Dr. Denis Thériault (Head Local Department of the Diagnostic Imaging, Acadie-Bathurst Zone) proudly posing with the ultrasound for breast ultrasound.
Under the presidency of Mr. Ronald Losier, the second edition of the Walk 1 Km in my Shoes-St- Isidore Asphalte will take place during the month of October, breast cancer awareness month. The financial goal of the 2021 Walk a Kilometer in my Shoes is to raise $45,000 between the four Acadie-Bathurst foundations. The funds raised will be used to purchase several pieces of equipment.
Over the years, thanks to the Radiothon of Roses, an overall amount of nearly $2.6M has been invested in the acquisition of equipment to improve health care in our community! The 2022 Roses Radiothon will take place on April 29 thanks to its partners, L’Acadie Nouvelle, CKLE, CKRO and BOUNCE Radio 104.9.