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The Crossroads Campaign
Why KDH Needs a CT Scanner, Now!
A conversation with Dr. Colin Sentongo, KDH's Chief of Staff
The KDH Foundation is currently fundraising for a CT scanner. In a conversation with the Foundation, Dr. Colin Sentongo, Chief of Staff, described the CT scanner as “the gold standard requirement to operate a modern ER.” Not only do our complex patients require it, but physicians expect to have it as part of their toolbox, he explained.
“We are always competing for the limited supply of ER physicians, and the CT will improve this physician recruitment as it is an expectation for a hospital with our demographics and patient volumes to have one,” said Dr. Sentongo. He explained that it is so much easier for a physician to have a CT scanner available onsite and not have to convince a physician over the phone at a tertiary [highly specialized] care centre that a patient needs one, and meets the threshold for transfer. “For the patient, a CT scan can provide early diagnosis, which means early management or planning of management of the particular health issue.”
Lots of times a patient, for example, needs surveillance of their cancer. Travelling to Ottawa at a fragile point in their life adds an unnecessary burden. We need the technology at home, in Kemptville.
—Dr. Colin Sentongo
KDH's Chief of Staff
Dr. Sentongo recognized that we cannot continue to burden other health centres with our requests to use their CT scanners. Some of our partner referral institutions are actually incredulous that we do not have our own, and sometimes resent receiving transfers that overburden their ERs that are already running over capacity.
There are also other practical concerns. “Without a CT scanner at KDH, both our patients and their families are impacted,” said Dr. Sentongo. “Consider this: after waiting through triage at KDH, a patient who requires a CT scan is sent by ambulance to an Ottawa hospital. This means one of our nursing staff must ride with the patient, which makes us short-staffed. The ambulance cannot wait around and returns to base or has to attend to another emergency. The patient must therefore make his or her way back to Kemptville under their own recognizance when they are finished with their CT if it is normal.” He shared another scenario: “If a patient is given an appointment for CT, a family member or friend might have to take time off work to transport their loved one 100 km or more, round trip, outside of our area.”
In addition to reducing the travel to other locations for a CT scan, Dr. Sentongo said that having CT at KDH will be very helpful for our inpatient unit. He explained that, “Lots of times a patient, for example, needs surveillance of their cancer. Travelling to Ottawa at a fragile point in their life adds an unnecessary burden. We need the technology at home, in Kemptville.”
Dr. Sentongo also addressed the steady growth of the Kemptville community, with residential projects and nursing homes sprouting up constantly. “With our changing demographics and population growth, we need to be prepared. "We need to operate our ER like a city one. The reality is that Kemptville will soon be considered a suburb of Ottawa. We need to prepare ourselves for more growth. Having a CT scanner is an essential part of this planning.”
Community Heroes
The KDH Foundation established its Community Hero initiative to recognize businesses and their outstanding support of the Foundation in the communities which KDH serves.
Pictured (left to right): Deb Wilson; Margret Norenberg, Foundation Board Chair; Rick Grahame.Grahame's Bakery, Kemptville
Pictured, centre: Judy and Jim Beveridge; to the right of Judy and Jim: Margret Norenberg, Foundation Board Chair; MPP Steve Clark; Joanne Mavis, Foundation Executive Director.B & H Your Community Grocer, Kemptville
Pictured (l-r) Lyle, Heather and Mark Perkins, Margret Norenberg, KDH Board Foundation Chair and Joanne Mavis, KDH Foundation Executive Director.Perkins Hardware Building Centre, North Gower
The success of our hospital is dependent on our community being behind us. If there was ever a time to go big, this is it.
—Dr. Annelise Miller
former Chief of ER
Donor Stories
Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation Makes Donation
Debra Amirault Makes Donation in Memory of Her Mother
Kemptville Duplicate Bridge Club
North Grenville Monday Afternoon Women’s Curling League Make a Donation
The Creative Hands of Petra McElrea
Little Black Dress Event Fundraiser
CDs for CTs
Pumpkin Chuck at Ferguson Forest
Donation from Dustin Golf Tournament
Six year old Gracie
Lemonade Stand
Barbara Larry
KDH Volunteer
International Plowing Match
We’ve actually lost physicians or had physicians turn us down because they feel that CT Scans are a basic necessity. They felt they couldn’t appropriately treat patients without that tool.
—Brittany Rivard
CFO, VP Operations
Fundraising for the Cause
$73,236 raised through the KDH Foundation Corporate Golf Classic
Watch the 2023 Golf Tournament Video
Credit: Anna Van Adrichem Vachon
Thank you to our generous sponsors!
Donation to the CT Scan fund in Memory of Dustin Littau
Pictured (l-r): Joanne Mavis, Foundation Executive Director, Margret Norenberg, Foundation Board Chair, and Judy Littau.Judy Littau, representing the Littau and Virgin families, recently presented the Foundation with $8,600 raised at the June golf tournament held in her son Dustin Littau’s memory. This annual event is bringing awareness to the lifesaving act of donating blood and the importance of stem cell registry. As requested by the families, the funds will be designated for the acquisition of a CT scan at KDH.
Foundation Board News
At the Annual General Meeting of the KDH Foundation Board of Directors on September 29, 2022, the Board Chair, Margret Norenberg, thanked current Board members Mike Gaynor (Vice Chair), Michael Wallace, and Patrick Poirier. All agreed to serve another term. She also welcomed two new elected members, Chris Lang and Deborah Girard. “Mr. Lang and Ms. Girard will be great additions to the Foundation Board, as the Foundation plans to launch a major campaign in 2023 to raise funds to purchase a CT scan for KDH.”
Chris, who was raised in Oxford Mills, returned from the GTA in 1998 with his wife and two children to Osgoode, where he became a partner and operator in a physiotherapy clinic for 22 years. He continues to see physical therapy clients and is also a co-owner of Sport Clips, Kemptville.
Deborah is President and Co-Owner (with her husband, Tim) of Good Night Bed Company. She is passionate about her community and is delighted to be joining the Foundation Board.
Visit the Foundation Board Members page for the complete list of members.
SMILE! Donation to Children’s Mental Health Programs in North Grenville
Pictured: Connie Parsons (left) and Jean Gallant. (They had removed their masks for the photo.)The annual Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign, held in September 2022, was a great success again this year, with a total of $12,163 raised at the two Kemptville Tim Horton’s locations. Again this year, the funds were donated to the KDH Foundation to support Children’s Mental Health Programs in North Grenville.
Some KDH Auxiliary volunteers had fun decorating the smile cookies at both Tim Horto’s locations in Kemptville!
New Mammography Gowns Purchased
The Foundation recently purchased new gowns for the Mammography program at the hospital. The shorter robe makes it easier for our technicians to perform mammograms and is more comfortable for patient. Thank you to the team in Diagnostic Imaging for all your great work!!!
Health Check for Change
Myer Kemptville are devoted to making a change in the Kemptville community.
When you bring in your vehicle for a Multipoint Vehicle Health Check, Myers will donate $10.00 to the KDH Foundation. To date, over $3,000 has been donated thanks to the community and Myers Kemptville.
Book your appointment today before winter comes. Call (888) 904-1366.
Harry Pratt Memorial BBQ a Big Success
Thank you to the North Grenville Chamber of Commerce, Rush Truck Centre and Les Winters for once again hosting the Harry Pratt Memorial BBQ. As well as honouring Harry, the event also recognized the great contributions of Gerald Tallman. Together, Harry and Gerald were the two greatest supporters of KDH and the town of Kemptville. We fondly remember them and miss them.
Thank You For Your Support of the 2022 Golf Tournament
Thanks to the support from our players, donors and sponsors, KDH Foundation Golf Classic, held on July 26, 2022 at a local golf course, raising $44,000 to support a new CT scan!
