Breaking news! We are thrilled to announce that 9-year-old Beneshi's haircut on November 23 for the CT Scanner has raised - to date - $5,467! Additionally, his cut hair has been donated for a cancer patient's wig. Thank you to Beneshi, his parents and all the generous donors who made this impressive result possible. To read more about Beneshi's initiative, read the previous Media Release. 

Fifteen years ago Andy Csiffary suggested to the golf captain that the eQuinelle Men’s Golf League could support the local community with 50/50 Draws.

Since then, Andy has organized the Draws and the League has donated over $20,000.00 to various causes. Approximately 160 members in the Men’s League vote to select the charity they will support that year. Andy said, “I have been told that the donations have been well received and greatly appreciated.”

For the last two years, the League has chosen the CT Scanner Campaign. It was recognized that this valuable diagnostic tool will benefit the entire community and bring urgent care closer to home. The League’s grand total of Campaign gifts for 2023 and 2024 is $6,635.

On December 4, O'Farrell Financial team presented $10,000 to the CT Scanner Campaign. Receiving the donation were Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Board Chair and Joanne Mavis, KDH Foundation Executive Director, who expressed their sincere gratitude for the donation. The team includes two past KDH Foundation Board Chairs, Dermid O'Farrell and Hugh O'Neill.  Thank you O'Farrell Financial for helping us bring this important diagnostic tool to Kemptville District Hospital!

The CT Scanner campaign has had an outstanding week with two business owners donating a total of $35,000.

Rick and Janice Johnson, owners, Canadian Tire, Kemptville, presented a $25,000 cheque to Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Board Chair. Margret said, “we deeply appreciate how the local business community has leaned in so generously to bring a CT Scanner to Kemptville District Hospital.”

Janice explained the Campaign “captured both our hearts. We need this piece of equipment, here.” Rick agreed. “It should be here.”

Also, this week, Lee Mosley, Investment Advisor, Mosley Associates and his wife, Sharon, residents of Kemptville, presented a $10,000 gift to the campaign. Mosley explained, “it is our hospital. The more things we can do here (in our community) the better.”

Both couples understand that a CT Scanner is a vital diagnostic tool and something they or their families or friends might require someday, perhaps urgently.

Of note, both couples are also relative newcomers to Kemptville. Lee and Sharon moved to  Kemptville from Ottawa in 2019. Rick and Janice are the new owners of the Kemptville Canadian Tire and they are delighted to be here, close to family.

Seen here at the KDH Foundation office presenting a $10,000 donation for the CT Scanner Campaign, (l-r) Lee Mosley, Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Board Chair, and Sharon Dean.

Seen here presenting a $25,000 cheque for the CT Scanner Campaign are Canadian Tire Kemptville owners, Rick and Janice Johnson with Margret Norenberg, center, KDH Foundation Board Chair.

When she presented her $12,500 donation to the CT Scanner Campaign, Kathy Holmes said, “it gives me and my family a great feeling to have done this.” This is the second year in a row the Holmes family from Osgoode has donated the proceeds from the Greg Holmes Memorial Golf Tournament to the Campaign, for a grand total of $23,250.

KDH Foundation Board Chair, Margret Norenberg, said, “this is a wonderful contribution to the campaign and we are deeply appreciative.”

The sold-out Golf Tournament held at Meadows Golf and Country Club, Ottawa on September 20 had 160 golfers, exceeding last year’s attendance. Holmes described it as “just a great day – and a hot one!” which included a live, exciting auction led by Liam Maguire.

This is Holmes fourth golf tournament to honour her late husband who enjoyed golf and many other sports. She admitted that she has learned to be less shy when asking for donations, including the 50/50 raffle and tournament prizes. “It is all for such a good cause,” she explained. Holmes gave full credit to the overall event organizer, Bill O’Brien and the Golf Club. “I couldn’t do it without their expertise!”

Holmes said next year will be the final memorial tournament.

Every day, the Crossroads $2.2 million Campaign steadily approaches the “Finish Line”. A CT Scanner is a vital diagnostic tool which will improve the patient experience at Kemptville District Hospital. It will eliminate an ambulance ride to another facility to have a CT scan, accelerate treatment and attract physicians to the area.

For more information, stories and events about the Crossroads CT Scanner Campaign, including how you can donate, see: The Crossroads Campaign (kdhfoundation.ca)

Gifts of securities are a cost-effective way to transform your assets into an immediate and significant gift to the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation.

The Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation provided $17,000 for the hospital’s recent purchase of a portable machine which analyses blood near the patient or “point of care”. With it, physicians can have blood results immediately, enabling them to diagnose patients more quickly.

The light and compact unit called pocH-100i, sits on a countertop. It can be easily transported from the Lab to any location, such as the ER, to provide safe and precise results.

Edwin Nkengla, KDH Site Operations Manager, EORLA, was pleased to share that the analyzer can “generate a whole range of haematological parameters, including a Complete Blood Count (CBC), White Blood Cell Count (BC), Red Blood Cell Count (RBC), Haemoglobin, Haematocrit and Platelet Count, and much more.” He explained that “it is easy to use with its touch screen operations and a great solution for both inside and outside the classical laboratory environment”.

Katie Hogue, VP of Nursing/Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive at KDH expressed her appreciation to the Foundation for funding the blood analyser. Hogue explained, "this vital piece of equipment would not be possible without the unwavering support of the KDH Foundation.  As partners we work collaboratively to prioritize the most urgent needs.  When we reached out to the Foundation and explained the urgency, they did not hesitate and for that we are so grateful! "

Executive Director of the KDH Foundation, Joanne Mavis, said, “we are happy to make it possible to purchase this important piece of equipment for the hospital. As another tool to look after the health of the KDH community, it will be impactful: accelerating diagnoses and improving the patient experience.”

The KDH Foundation is in a $2.2 million Crossroads Campaign to bring a CT Scanner to KDH. For more information and stories about the Campaign and how you can donate, visit the Crossroads Campaign page.

Beneshi BloomAt the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation, we heard from Beneshi Bloom, a young lad who intends to cut his long hair, ask for donations to the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign and donate his hair for the purpose of a cancer patient’s wig. We were very impressed with his initiative! We asked Beneshi why he is doing this and what the CT Scanner will mean to the community. This is what he said:

“I am nine years old and I am in grade four at École élémentaire publique Rivière-Rideau.  One day my neighbour Halia asked if I would ever cut my hair. I was really thinking to myself "no"...because I like my long hair and I wanted to keep growing it to make a long braid, which is the traditional Anishnaabe hairstyle for boys.

She told me that some people donate their hair to make wigs for people who lose their hair when they are sick. I had never heard of that before. I learned that people with cancer lose their hair during treatment. I also learned that three of my grandparents died of cancer and I never got to see them because of it. My Dad showed me a picture of his Mom smiling and wearing her wig when she was sick.

It makes me feel happy and excited to think that donating my hair could help someone who is sick look and feel better.

I talked to my Mom and Dad about it and we learned that some people ask for sponsors before they get their hair cut.  I can donate my hair - and also raise money for charity! 

I love playing hockey and this year I am playing for the Kemptville Royals U11 Rep B team. If I ever hurt my head - or anyone on my team ever hurt their head - they would need a CT Scan right away! 

So, I am asking everyone to help me raise $1800 for the Kemptville Hospital CT Scanner by November 23rd, when I will cut my "flow" after my hockey game (that's hockey talk for a player's long hair). The puck drops for the Kemptville Royals vs. North Dundas Demons at noon. Come out for the game and stay to cheer me on during my hair cut at 1:30 pm!

If just 100 people donate $18 (a special number that stands for "life" in Hebrew) I will reach my goal.”

Joanne Mavis, Executive Director, KDH Foundation said, “this is a remarkable initiative from this young man! He understands the community importance of having this diagnostic tool close to home. Thank you – and good luck!”

Beneshi will be accepting donations at the upcoming local Royals hockey games and other locations around the area.

Donations to “Beneshi’s Haircut for KDH CT Scanner” can also be made online. Select the drop-down menu, “Please direct my donation to” and select “Beneshi’s Haircut for KDH CT Scanner”. A tax receipt will be provided by the KDH Foundation.

For more information, stories and photos visit the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign page.

Sitting riverside on a beautiful sunlit September morning, Laura Melnick looked at me and said, “I am a walking miracle. My community needs some help and this is why it is my job to tell my story. We learn by hearing each other’s stories.”

Laura knows that without a CT Scan, she would not have known she had a brain tumor. 

She explained that she had had two accidents in recent years which involved head injuries. Initially, she had fallen and hit her head hard on the ice; this was followed by a vehicle accident which severely shook her head and bruised her body. On both occasions she had declined having the paramedics or others take her to the hospital.  “Knowing there was no CT Scanner at Kemptville District Hospital (KDH), what was the point?” she said.

In 2023, her second brain injury presented like a concussion. She started to feel better but then, in January 2024, began waking up with daily headaches. Concurrently, vision in her right eye was deteriorating. Laura and her doctor agreed that a CT Scan might solve the mystery of her ‘post concussion’ symptoms.

She waited four months for her appointment. On April 24, she went to the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa for the CT Scan.

On May 3 she learned that the CT Scan showed she had a brain tumour. A meningioma had developed in the menges, the soft tissue that protects the brain from the hard surface of the skull.

Four weeks later, on June 3, with evidence that the tumour was aggressively growing, she had neurosurgery. She was in the operating theatre for nearly eight hours.

Laura was told that the path back to feeling like her old self could be up to a year. She has made great progress since the surgery but there is still a long recovery road ahead.

Why did Laura reach out to share her story?

She said with emphasis, “CT Scans save lives! It saved me from further damage to my visual and cognitive capabilities. I might have complained earlier (to the doctor) knowing that a CT Scan was more easily available to me, in Kemptville.”

Laura continued, “I want people to understand the importance of a CT Scanner. What we cannot see with our eyes is informed by the Scanner’s imagery. Rarely is the problem determined without the imagery.” She added this plea, “Please do not dismiss a head injury and let your doctor truthfully know what is going on and how you are feeling.”

Laura said she is grateful to the neurosurgical team at the Civic Hospital who prioritized her problem, but she is “most grateful to her physicians in Kemptville for listening to my concerns and then moving quickly to help me!”

Joanne Mavis, KDH Foundation Executive Director, said, “Thank you, Laura for reaching out to the KDH Foundation and generously sharing your testimonial. Your experience fully supports why we need a CT Scanner here, close to home. It is an urgently needed diagnostic tool at Kemptville District Hospital.”

For more information and stories about the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign and how you can donate, see our Campaign page.

A case for a CT Scanner at KDH