2025 has had a great start for the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation as a flurry of donations to their MRI fundraiser has come in over the past few weeks.
That's shot their total up to $4,743,108 of their $6.5 million goal, with just under a year since they began the fundraiser in April of 2024.
Executive Director Lori Gervais says that community sources have been very reliably donating to the cause.
"We've had people reaching out quite consistently and we just had Southland Pulse give us $25,000 and they themselves as a community company have had issues with people waiting for MRIs. They know firsthand what kind of health journeys can be affected by bringing all this equipment closer to home. We had Apex Distribution kind of with a fitness journey themselves and they've brought us $11,820. Canadian Plains Energy Service is another one out of Carlyle that's always been big supporters and they've seen the importance of having that sort of thing, they brought us $12,500."
"The community completely always steps up and people are doing what they can or coming up with ideas, the Elks are going to be having a golf tournament for us this summer. We've had lots of people showing interest in how they can help and what they can do to donate."
Some other January donations have included the Estevan Elk's Lodge donating $2,500 and Midwest Surveys donating $1,500.
With the fundraiser over 2/3 completed, Gervais says they're now looking to get to the finish line in 2025.
"The project itself is looking like by the end of 2025, right at the beginning of 2026 the MRI should be in place and we'll be getting ready to start operations and it would be fantastic to have all the money in place or pledged at least by then. If the trajectory continues as it has been, I feel like that is a possibility. We're doing our best to stay in the community, having everybody aware of the project and what it is that we're looking to do and we seem to have kind of a continuous flow of people reaching out to help the best that they can."
Once that MRI is in place and servicing people in the southeast Gervais says they'll keep an eye out for whatever the community needs next.
"We are here always to fundraise and support the development of St. Joseph's Hospital. So, any of the services, the expansion of the facilities, purchasing of new equipment, any kind of upgrading needed, we're here for that. So that is always what we'll be. Whatever is at the forefront of necessities for the hospital itself so that the best patient care is available and the recruiting and retention of the doctors as well."
Gervais says there are big things coming soon for the project, with a site assessment taking place next week.