ALEXANDRIA, ON — An anonymous donor has committed $50,000 over five years to the Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital (HGMH) Foundation to help strengthen rural health care in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.
The first installment of $10,000 was received in December. The donation will support priority medical equipment needs at HGMH, including the campaign to bring a CT scanner to the hospital.
The donor’s decision to give was inspired by personal experiences receiving care at HGMH after moving to Alexandria from Montreal.
“On Labour Day, two months after moving to Alexandria from Montreal, I caught my hand badly in a hedge trimmer. Uncertain where to go, my wife chose the nearness of HGMH over the long drive to Cornwall. The ER was open, staffed among others, by Dr. Yuan-Innes who somehow put my fingertips back together. Given the stories of rural Ontario hospitals closing their ERs on weekends and holidays we were relieved that somehow HGMH was open that day.
We have since had three visits to HGMH between us for minor stroke, respiratory and cardio symptoms. Every time we initially wondered where to go, and every time we chose the immediate care advantage, and were cared for beyond our best hopes, with all the follow ups and referrals one could ask for.
HGMH is well beyond our expectations of what we hoped a ‘rural’ hospital can be, and it needs our support. A CT scanner is the most immediate diagnostic tool that would bring their care to the next level.
All the hard-working dedicated members of the HGMH family deserve our support, any way you can.”
Since that first visit, the couple has returned to HGMH for other urgent health concerns, reinforcing for them the importance of having reliable care close to home.
Hospital officials say access to advanced diagnostic imaging locally would significantly reduce travel time for patients and help clinicians make faster treatment decisions in time-sensitive situations such as stroke or cardiac events. Currently, many patients who require CT imaging must be transferred to other hospitals.
Mark Adam, Chair of the HGMH Foundation Board, said the pledge reflects the strong connection many residents feel toward their local hospital.
“This generous commitment reflects a deep trust in our hospital and in the people who care for this community every day,” Adam said. “In rural healthcare, access and readiness are everything. Support like this strengthens our capacity to deliver timely, high-quality care close to home — not just today, but for years to come. I hope it inspires others to consider how they, too, can help sustain and advance care at HGMH for the benefit of our entire community.”
The donation reflects the message behind the Foundation’s Be a Healer campaign, which recognizes donors as partners in patient care by helping equip frontline professionals with the tools they need.
With the first installment already received, Foundation representatives say the commitment signals growing community momentum behind strengthening rural health services in Glengarry.
For more information about supporting the CT Scanner Campaign, call 613-525-2222 ext. 4138 and visit www.hgmhfoundation.org.
About the Author
