Fundraiser propels PCH almost halfway to $2.5M goal
'They'll be able to perform these operations with better equipment'
The Prince County Hospital Foundation raised just over $1.2 million during its annual Grassroots and Cowboy Boots event Saturday night for P.E.I.'s second-largest hospital.
The money will go toward defibrillators, new hospital beds and a $1.4 million overhaul of the hospital's three operating rooms, which haven't been updated since they were built 12 years ago.
"There'll be bigger screens — more, better-defined quality," said foundation president Patrick McSweeney of the new operating suites. "We're going digital."
"So, they'll be able to perform these operations with better equipment, and hopefully do more here," he said.
Surgeons perform about 5,500 procedures at the hospital each year.
Goal of $2.5M
The hospital hopes to start working on the operating room upgrades next year.
The money from Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots puts the foundation about halfway to its fundraising goal of $2.5 million for the year.
This year the event saw major donations from both Mary Jean Irving of Master Packaging and her brother Robert Irving, who owns french fry processor Cavendish Farms. The Province of P.E.I. gave $200,000 and the Office of the Official Opposition won a Jeep Wrangler and donated it back.
The foundation has more fundraisers planned for the fall and winter.
Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots is the hospital's major annual fundraiser, and includes a dinner, a live auction, guest speakers, cheque presentations, music and other entertainment. Singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan and comedian Patrick Ledwell were the major entertainment acts this year.
The event brings about 1,200 people to the Eastlink Arena.
Over its eight years, the event has raised more than $4 million for the PCH.
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With files from Sarah MacMillan