Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
McLennan’s Sacred Heart Community Health Centre has been able to make a necessary purchase thanks to the generosity of the High Prairie Healthcare Auxiliary.
McLennan’s Ladies’ Auxiliary reached out to the High Prairie group inquiring about receiving assistance to purchase a much-needed item for the Diagnostic Imaging department at the health centre.
“Buchanan Foundation donated money to High Prairie Ladies’ Auxiliary for equipment purchase,” says auxiliary secretary Marilyn Emter.
“We received a request from McLennan for $22,000 to help buy a flat panel detector for X-rays.”
Emter says their group reached out to Buchanan Foundation to ensure it was okay with them to reallocate the money to McLennan.
“Because some High Prairie patients go to that hospital and it was such a necessary purchase, the Buchanan’s were happy to help,” she says.
“Initially $250,000 was donated to help purchase equipment in High Prairie and we still had some funds remaining.”
The new X-ray equipment will be a great asset to the health centre, says site manager Rhonda Bourgeois.
“It’s a smaller panel to make x-raying knees and hard to reach areas easier,” says Bourgeois. “This will enhance the quality of service we’re able to offer to our community.”
Impressively, the High Prairie Healthcare Auxiliary assists Alberta Health Services and staff at the High Prairie Health Complex to create and maintain a quality facility.
In 2023, the group with the help of donors purchased over $270,000 worth of essential equipment for the hospital.
Emter says their group was able to help purchase a new patient lift, a new electrocardiogram (ECG) machine, vein finder and a lot of other equipment.
She says they were happy to help the McLennan Ladies’ Auxiliary with this purchase.
Next up for the High Prairie Healthcare Auxiliary is canvassing for the nursing home, JB Wood, in High Prairie.
“We’re looking to paint, chair some door signs and make it more home-like for the people living there,” says Emter.
“We will be meeting with residents to see what they want us to do in the home.”
Emter says advocating and raising funds for various healthcare facilities in the region is vital because we are all going to need the services one day.
If you would like to collaborate with the endeavours the High Prairie Healthcare Auxiliary is facilitating, please contact President Tammy Melnyk at 780-523-7967 or by email at tammy.melnyk @albertahealthservices.ca.