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Fundraising goal met for Cowichan District Hospital breast cancer screening unit

Tomosynthesis equipment to arrive in April
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Tracey Brown, interim executive director of the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation explains some features of new mammography equipment to Bruce Wilkinson, past president of the Auxiliary to the Cowichan District Hospital. (Submitted by the Auxiliary to the Cowichan District Hospital)

They did it!

The goal was $450,000, but together with the community, the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation has been able to surpass its goal with more than $500,000 raised for the purchase of advanced mammography equipment for Cowichan District Hospital.

“On behalf of everyone at the Cowichan District Hospital and the Foundation, thank you Cowichan for investing in local health care,” said Tracey Brown, the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation’s interim executive director. “Your donations make a real difference for the community.”

The first of its kind on Vancouver Island, the state-of-the-art breast cancer screening tool will provide faster, more accurate and more comfortable screening for symptoms of breast cancer.

The Foundation says roughly 3,000 women in the Cowichan Valley receive mammograms each year and by using the new Tomosynthesis equipment, early detection will allow for more gentle therapies and treatments to be used and can improve outcomes for patients. It will increase invasive cancer detection by 40 per cent, increase cancer detection overall by 27 per cent and provide 15 per cent fewer false positives.

The new gear will be installed in April and will be available for use at the end of that month, after staff training.

It took 780 individuals and organizations to help the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation reach and surpass its goal, led by Mr. and Mrs. Innes, who offered a $100,000 matching donation opportunity and Juice FM who helped launch the campaign with a Live on Location Event.

“We’re thankful to all the individuals, families and organizations that supported this campaign,” said Jerry Doman, board chair of the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation. “The additional funds that were raised will be used towards our next project for highest priority needs at Cowichan District Hospital and Cairnsmore Place.”



sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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