Hospital needs people to donate to keep system running

By Christy Marsters

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

Chris Fleming has already donated a brand new walker to the Hants Community Hospital, and he isn’t stopping there in an effort to give back to a health care system saving his life.

Since being diagnosed with a rare flesh-eating disease about six months ago, Fleming has undergone six surgeries set to replace 80 per cent of the skin on his right leg with grafted skin from his left leg. Now, he is recovering and working to regain movement in his legs.

“If I hadn’t received any type of help I would have died,” Fleming said. “At some point you’ll rely on your health care, either yourself or because someone you know will need it one day. But, when you take from the system, I think you need to give something back.”

In addition to the walker, Fleming plans to purchase a Nintendo Wii in November for seniors to use at the Hants Community Hospital. He’s also offering service on the local health board and will give the hospital his recovery equipment, because he’ll no longer need it.

People think health care is simply deserved, but after realizing the extent of care available it’s easy to see there is a real need to work hard and help keep this system running strong, Fleming said. “I had no idea there was a need before. I didn’t know until I had to use it.”

Much of the equipment at the hospital is donated and fundraised, Fleming added. “You should give up what you can because there’s nothing wrong with helping out a little bit.”

Hants Community Hospital Foundation managing director Claudia Rafuse said there are different ways people can donate to the hospital, such as supporting the Ladies Auxiliary events, attending the hospital fundraisers in the lobby, planning a donation in a giving will or by making a contribution directly in honour or in memory of someone else.

The foundations are major players in obtaining needed hospital equipment, Rafuse said. “It takes the work of the community to provide the best care. The money donated stays with our hospital. The community here is quite involved. It’s just getting the word out.”

In 2007, the Foundation was able to bring in over $184,000 and purchased an OBS/GYN stretcher, an LCD projector, a portable diagnostic sleep apnea monitor, a set of fabric blinds, a treadmill, a arthroscopy fluid pump, a pair of laparoscopic telescopes, a TASKI ergo disc 1200 burnisher, an automatic self containing scrubber 22’ machine, a single speed floor scrubber and a laser unit with a single probe/ cluster probe and a light pad. Other items included five Stryker go-beds, five mattresses, two wheelchairs, two medication carts and five residential electrical beds with mattresses.