First published in Manotick Messenger
February 23, 2024
By Ralph Tweedie, Manotick Kiwanis Club

Are you aware how convenient the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) is? The KDH catchment area runs from the St. Lawrence River to parts of Barrhaven. Manotick is just 22 minutes from KDH. It’s closer than the Ottawa General campus, about the same time to the Civic, and a little farther than the Queensway Carleton but with less traffic problems and possibly quicker access to emergency services. In fact, the Manotick area is the 3rd largest user of emergency services at KDH.

KDH has been a community hospital since 1960, the same year the Kiwanis Club of Manotick was chartered. For some of the nurses it‘s a family affair. Their mothers were nurses at the KDH before them. Over the years, KDH developed many clinics to deal with specific health problems, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Plastic surgery and Dermatology. Regional programs have grown to include Total Joint Replacement, specialist clinical programs, outpatient surgery, etc.  The most recent is the Heart Stress Test Clinic which opened one and a half years ago.  They also provide an expanding list of education and wellness programs for the community.

They do have an urgent need however. The Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As the shortage of family physicians for primary care becomes more acute, communities turn to hospital ERs and clinics for basic medical needs and referrals. As a result, the problems presented to an ER department can be much more complex than in the past and often multiple issues are in play.

The requirement is for swift, accurate and detailed analysis of the health issues. The solution: computed topography scans (CT scans). CT scans are much more accurate than x-rays and have revolutionized how doctors approach cases. They are particularly useful in emergency situations where time is of the essence.

Currently if a patient at KDH requires a CT scan he is taken to an Ottawa hospital ER. This ties up ambulances which can be urgently required elsewhere as well as reducing the time advantage. A modern ER cannot function efficiently and as effectively without a CT scanner.

The KDH has taken steps to acquire a CT scanner. Funds have been secured to build the needed infrastructure and construction is scheduled to begin March 2024. The KDH Foundation has launched The Crossroads Campaign to raise $2.2 million dollars to acquire a CT Scanner. It has already collected over $800,000.

In the past 20 years the Kiwanis Club of Manotick has donated a total of $4,600 to the KDH. This year we are very proud to announce a donation of $10,000 to The Crossroads Campaign. KDH has made a $250,000 down payment and the scanner is on order.

We are not alone in our local support of the Kemptville hospital. Half of all donors to the hospital are from outside Kemptville. Of those, more than 60% are from Manotick, Osgoode, and the surrounding area, surely proof of how important this hospital is to our community health.

For more information, or to make a donation visit our donation platform or call 613 408 0086.

Towards the end of 2023, MNP LLP Ottawa (Accounting, Business Consulting and Tax Services) decided to create a Community Fund and asked its Partners to suggest causes of interest. One of the Partners, Shawn Mincoff - also a Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Board Director - strongly suggested that they donate to the KDH CT Scanner Crossroads $2.2 million Campaign. He said, “I was very proud to get my Partners involved as the hospital is important to me.” To his surprise and making the donation perhaps even more compelling, one of his colleagues shared that he had his knee surgery done at KDH.

Mincoff added, “KDH offers great services and is always ready to take care of us.”

He believes that we cannot forget the needs of our community and hopes this $15,000 donation from the MNP LLP Community Fund will add momentum to the CT Scanner Campaign.

The cheque was presented by Mincoff along with MNP LLP Partners, Natalie Schuler and Kayla Seipp, to Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Chair, Frank Vassallo, KDH CEO and Kristy Carriere, KDH Foundation Coordinator.

Kathy Botham of YourTV speaks with Joanne, Foundation Executive Director and Lynne from the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation about their fundraising efforts to purchase a CT Scanner for KDH.

Early last December, Petra McElrea invited some people over to her house to see her latest charming, hand-knitted dolls and illustrated companion book, titled, “Very Special Christmas Guests at the Magic Dollhouse”. The soft dolls, loaded with personality, measure 30-35 cm tall and include knitted shoes, hats and accessories. Photographs of the dolls comprise the story book illustrations which look like water colours. 

Petra exclaimed, “they sold like hotcakes!”

As a result, she donated the proceeds of $750 to the KDH Foundation CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign.

Petra described herself and her husband Bill, as “old pros in helping the community”. They worked with their late, dear friend, Harry Pratt (past Chair of the KDH Foundation Board) on many hospital fundraisers such as dinner dances. “Such fun!” she recalled happily. To honour Pratt’s memory Petra and Bill also wrote a delightful book, appropriately titled, “Harry the Christmas Elf”.

“We like to give back. Kemptville is our home. We moved here 43 years ago and have made great friends. We love it here.”

When asked why she thinks the CT Scanner is important to Kemptville, Petra said, “having it here will mean when you need a scan, there will be no big trip to Ottawa. That means a lot to us, especially now when my husband is in his eighties.”

Petra emphasized, “We really need the CT Scanner! It will be amazing to have it here in Kemptville.”  She concluded, “you can always count on Kemptville!”

Joanne Mavis, Foundation Executive Director, said, “it is just wonderful to see the community’s enthusiasm to support the CT Scanner Campaign!  We sincerely appreciate Petra’s creativity and her donation to bring the CT Scanner to Kemptville. It warms the heart!”

For more information, stories and events about the Crossroads CT Scanner $2.2 Million Campaign, including how you can donate, see: The Crossroads Campaign

Every donation to the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation Crossroads CT Scanner Campaign brings us closer to improving the patient experience at KDH with better patient care, faster care, closer to home care and ultimately, helping the Foundation reach its goal of $2.2 million.

Just before Christmas, and over a cup of tea, donor Peter Van Adrichem explained the many reasons why he donated $10K to the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign.

“I thought about the fact that we are all getting older and have different health concerns. I know a year ago, I had kidney stones and was taken to Ottawa for a CT Scan where there were long line ups. It would be great to have a CT Scanner here, at KDH.”

He added, “And the area is growing so much!  The CT Scanner will provide more patient services, locally. It is a lot easier if a CT is here in town instead of needing to commute to an Ottawa hospital.”

Van Adrichem shared that his sister, Anna, donates a lot of volunteer time to the North Grenville community. ”I want to do my bit so I decided to donate to the CT Scanner Campaign.”

The Foundation is thrilled with his generous donation.

Van Adrichem also threw down the gauntlet. He said, “I am a local farmer and I want to challenge others – builders and developers - to step up and donate to the CT Scanner Campaign. They need to support this for the sake of the community.”

Along with his partner, Geraldine Taylor, Van Adrichem is very grateful to have KDH in Kemptville.

Taylor recalled an accident she had on her property where she fell and ripped open her knee. It was profusely bleeding, and she found out later that she had also damaged nerves. Van Adrichem bundled her into the car and within minutes brought her to the ER at KDH. She testified that the urgent care she received made a difference in her recovery.

Taylor also remembered the important role of KDH during the Great Ice Storm of January 1998. The hospital was a warm oasis with its generators running, staff and volunteers making and distributing meals. The community was encouraged to come to the hospital for hot food or just a break from the cold. Some stayed longer and bedded down, especially if they required hydro for medical purposes.

“It is an amazing community which has always impressed me”, said Taylor. “People just rise to the challenge. During the Ice Storm, some of us were without hydro for weeks. Peter’s family farm in South Mountain had a hydro outage for 19 days!  But you know, despite the bitter cold, the ice and the hardships, the community got closer.”

This community has an urgent need for a CT Scanner at KDH. This diagnostic tool will save the long return commute to the Digital Imaging Departments in Ottawa hospitals which are already in high demand. It will attract new physicians who expect a CT Scanner to confirm diagnosis and check the progress of medical treatment. Importantly, it will improve the patient and family experience when a loved one requires a CT Scan.

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

As a result of a kind-hearted community, the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL), Branch 212, Kemptville, donated $2,500 from the 2023 Poppy Campaign to the KDH Foundation Crossroads Campaign. This is a wonderful gift which represents the work and generosity of many. It brings the Foundation closer to the $2.2 million goal to help bring a CT Scanner to Kemptville.

Aubrey Callan, District G Veteran Services Officer and Branch Service Officer, RCL Branch 212, Kemptville, who is very involved with the poppy drive, said, “people are very receptive to the poppy and what it means.”

Callan explained that 45 local Sea Cadets did a one-day poppy blitz which was very helpful to the Poppy Campaign as many older Legion members are less able to assist.

The Poppy Campaign supports a Youth Education Programme which includes a Youth Poster Contest and visits to schools by Veterans where they give briefings to the students about their experiences in serving Canada in war-torn and troubled areas of the world.

Julie O’Brien, RCL Branch 212 Immediate Past President, said, “we are so extremely fortunate here. We live in the best country in the world!”

On October 20, 2023 a night of glitz, glamour and fun realized seven thousand dollars for the KDH Foundation CT Scanner Campaign. The 6^th Annual Little Black Dress (LBD) event, held at the eQuinelle Golf Club, Kemptville, was organized by Executive Director Terri-Lyn McEvoy, North Grenville Chamber of Commerce. She said, “the Chamber recognizes the importance of having access to lifesaving equipment right here in our community and we were happy to help. We were thrilled with the support from our Silver Sponsors and our guests.”

Attending the cheque presentation were Chamber Directors Tina Murray, Lisa Hale, Will Pearl and Vice-Chair Allen McEvoy and from the KDH Foundation, Margret Norenberg, Foundation Board Chair and Kristy Carriere, Foundation Coordinator.

Lyle and Heather Perkins were recently recognized as “Community Heroes” by the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation. They were delighted to receive this unexpected recognition of their personal contributions over the years and their role in supporting the Hospital - as had Lyle’s father, Howard - through Perkins Hardware Building Centre in North Gower.*

Lyle said he remembers when KDH was being built in 1959. It was natural that his father would be curious about it - after all, his business focused on supplying materials for house and barn construction in North Gower. Lyle, then a young lad, would accompany him to the hospital building site on Concession Road, Kemptville where they would both marvel at the progress. KDH would eventually open its doors on June 29, 1960, when thousands of excited and curious visitors were greeted by the nurses and guided through the new facility on that glorious day.

Heather remarked that “the hospital has come a long way since those early days”.

As with the hospital, Perkins Lumber has also evolved with the times.

In the store’s office are numerous large aerial photographs showing Perkins Lumber near the intersection of Fourth Line Road and Roger Stevens Drive. They record the many changes which have occurred in the area since the business began in 1936 during the Great Depression.

Lyle grew the lumber company from when he assumed leadership in the early eighties. In 2011, along with his son Mark, he steered the company in a new direction and a new name. He was also involved in several community associations, including fifty years with the North Gower Volunteer Fire Department. He proudly shared that in 1948 his father was the first appointed Fire Chief of the Township Fire Department and that his son Mark is a volunteer fire fighter.

Heather is also very engaged with the community.

Presently she is helping to gather food and Christmas presents for those who are struggling locally. She said, “the need to fill sixty Angel tags is a real indicator of the times”.

The Perkins family connections to the hospital are deeply rooted to the urgent call which went out to the community more than sixty years ago to help build a hospital in Kemptville. In Howard Perkins’ footsteps they continue to support the hospital.

Heather said, “we need the hospital ourselves - and our family - and it’s where we want to go for care”.

KDHF is presently involved in a $2.2 million Crossroads Capital Campaign to bring a CT Scanner to KDH.

*North Gower was part of Rideau Township and then became part of Ottawa during the City’s Amalgamation in 2001.

Earlier this year, Herb Cloutier of J.A.M. Productions and Bob Windsor of Blackwind Studios (and Eddy and the Stingrays) collaborated on a fundraising effort for the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation, bringing together a group of 13 local songwriters to record original songs in Bob Windsor’s Blackwind Studio.

Bob added his musical magic to the numbers and a full-length album/CD of exclusively local, exclusively original music was completed.

All participants have 100% donated all their efforts to realize this wonderful, artistic vision with the understanding that 100% of the sales would go directly the KDHF efforts to raise funds to bring a CT scanner to our local hospital.

Pay what you can - if you set your price above the suggested $10, your additional dollars will also go to support KDHF.

Buy the Digital Album

In July 2023, KDH received three new anesthesia ventilators funded by the KDH Foundation.

“Anesthesia ventilators are essentially the machinery that keeps the patient alive during surgery,” explained Dr. Colin Sentongo, who served KDH as Chief of Anaesthesiology for six years before being appointed Chief of Staff in 2021.

 “They breathe for the patient; they administer the gases that keep the patient asleep,” he added. “So I am biased in the sense that I think it’s probably the most important equipment that you can have in an operating room. Everything else, in my opinion, is secondary.”

The new ventilators are an upgrade from KDH’s previous anesthesia machines, which Dr. Sentongo described as outdated. “Extra perks” of the new ventilators, according to Tanya Deans, RN, KDH’s Manager of Clinical Programs, are “less anesthetic gas usage. Anesthesia ventilators are essentially the machinery that keeps the patient alive during surgery with more precise delivery and new monitoring cables for patients needing paralytics [powerful muscle relaxants used to prevent muscle movement] during their procedures.” In addition, the new ventilators are familiar to many of the Anaesthesiologists who provide services at KDH as they also use them in The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) ORs.

The KDH Foundation provided $250,000 for the purchase of the new Ventilators; these funds were raised in the tremendously supportive communities that KDH serves. It is very important to KDH that our clinical teams have the equipment they need to provide the best possible care to our patients; as such, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Foundation for providing the funding for the anaesthesia ventilators, and for their continued support in enhancing the quality of care provided at KDH.

Source: KDH Communications Officer, Jenny Read