What do you hear?

If you were with me now, this is what you would hear:

The slow but persistent beeeeep, beeeeep, beeeeep of a patient’s ECG Monitor.
            The gentle whirring of our CT Scanner as it maps a patient’s brain.
            The squelch, squelch, squirt of a tube of ultrasound gel. (That might sound kind of gross, but it means the world to a pregnant woman who is about to see her child for the very first time).

I’m walking through the Haldimand War Memorial Hospital and it’s a busy, busy day. Our local hospital is always abuzz with expensive equipment helping doctors and nurses save lives!

When I hear these noises, I don’t hear beeps, whirs, or squelches. I hear applause!

That’s because all of our equipment is paid for by generous donors. Many of them are grateful patients like yourself who are thankful for the care and answers that they received at our hospital.

In our ongoing effort to improve patient care and outcomes, we are always in need of new, high-tech equipment. That’s why I’m writing to you today.

We’re not asking you to buy us a new scanner or monitor. Although that would be nice! We’re asking for you to make a gift of $50, $100, or $250. That might not sound like a lot, but if everyone who receives this letter gave $100, then we would meet our equipment budget for the year!

Just as one person clapping doesn’t make a lot of noise, one gift may not sound like much on its own. But just as a standing ovation provides a deafening roar, gifts from you and others combine to produce something that’s music to my ears: the purchase of critically important, life-saving equipment.

We appreciate them! We really do! Because our local hospital is a busy one.

Every 35 minutes of every day of every week of every month of the year somebody bursts through the doors of our Emergency Department. Some people are panicked. Some are concerned. Everybody – and I mean everybody – has questions.

Equipment is expensive. Answers don’t come cheap!

Questions like:
What’s wrong? Is it serious?
Can you make a go away? Will it hurt?
Will she make it?

Answers to these questions – and many others like them – don’t come cheap!

Hospital equipment is expensive. Very expensive! And if you’re like most people, you don’t realize that the government doesn’t pay for hospital equipment.

It’s all on us. Which is why I’m turning to you.

We need more equipment that helps more patients…

That provides better diagnoses…

That leads to better experiences…

And better outcomes!

Because, in case of an emergency, the faster you get answers, the faster treatment can begin.
And the faster your life can go back to normal.

I want to be clear: without your support, we can’t buy the equipment we need. Equipment that YOU may come to depend on. We need you because YOU may need the equipment that will help us respond to you if and when the time comes. $35, $50, or $100… it all adds up to thunderous applause!

That is why it’s so critical that you say “thank you” in the best way that you can: by making a donation to the Dunnville Hospital and Healthcare Foundation. Your gift will mean that we can purchase new equipment. So that answers come faster. So that patients like yourself can get better.

And if everyone who makes a gift also passes this letter on to a neighbour, a friend, and THEY make a gift…

Well, one gift suddenly means a whole lot.

Sincerely,

Penny Banks, Executive Director