The senior population in Portage la Prairie has a supporter in their quest for an MRI unit in the new hospital. Kathy Bryce, Executive Director of the Herman Prior Activity Centre, believes including an MRI in the Portage hospital is extremely important.
"I am of the age where things are bound to start happening, and I’m going to need, hopefully not, some more medical care down the road," Bryce said. "Having an MRI machine right in Portage la Prairie would make the most sense, especially when everything is available for it. It’s the right time to do it."
Switching hats as the Executive Director, she added, "I have members who come in all the time, and many of them are waiting to get an MRI so they can have surgery done. The wait times are horrible for them. A lot of members end up unable to come into the centre because their medical conditions have advanced to the point where they can’t leave their homes. All of that has, of course, been dependent on getting an MRI without having to wait six months or even two years for it."
Bryce emphasizes the importance of this issue for all seniors in Portage.
Although she hasn’t heard much conversation about the issue at the Centre, she noted that when the petition was submitted for members to sign, they jumped at the chance.
"They truly believe that having our own MRI machine is the best thing for Portage."