CORNWALL, Ontario – A hospital faces high demands to serve its community in the best of times, and staff always rise to the occasion. The staff at the Cornwall Community Hospital (CCH) have gone above and beyond because of COVID-19. On Thursday, Aug. 20, the CCH in partnership with Corus, will be holding their annual Radiothon to help ensure that the CCH and its staff members can continue to serve the community, even through a pandemic.
The CCH is the only hospital in the region with a Critical Care Unit (CCU) and ventilator capacity. This unit worked hard to help COVID-19 patients recover. Since March the CCH has seen multiple cases of COVID, and each and every one of those patients made a recovery.
One such patient, who we will call Marie for the sake of her privacy, contracted COVID-19 after a trip to Florida this past March.
“We came back when the government instructed all Canadians to return, but I started feeling unwell early on during my quarantine at home,” she said.
After she was assessed with COVID, her oxygen levels were found to be low and she was checked into the Hawkesbury General Hospital. Marie’s condition continued to deteriorate however, which is when she was transferred to the CCH.
Once at the CCH, Marie was put on a ventilator, and was in a coma for three-and-a-half weeks. When she awoke and the ventilator was removed, she quickly saw for herself that she was in good, kind, and caring hands. Her nurse, who Marie refers to as “my angel” ensured that her stay was comfortable.
“After I had the ventilator removed, all I wanted were popsicles, and she made sure I had some,” said Marie.
As her condition improved, Marie was transferred back to the Hawkesbury General Hospital.
A big Beatles fan, as she was being discharged, CCH staff members played “Here Comes the Sun” and clapped and cheered for her. It was an emotional moment for both patient and caregiver.
“I am extremely grateful for the care I received, and for the staff who saved my life,” she said.
The CCH’s ability to deal with complex cases, such as COVID-19, comes down to the equipment at the CCH and the training of their staff.
“CCH is the only hospital outside of Ottawa in our region with ventilator capacity,” said Jeanette Despatie, President and CEO, of the CCH. “Our physicians and staff have trained extensively to help give patients like Marie the best chance at recovery. We are proud to offer this life-saving equipment and important medical expertise, especially during the pandemic.”
The Corus Caring Hearts Radiothon is the biggest fundraiser for the Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation (CCHF) and helps ensure that the CCH can continue to help its community and patients like Marie.
The Radiothon will be held virtually this year from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 20 with six donation drop off locations across Cornwall and SD&G.
Donations can be dropped off at the following locations between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Aug. 20:
- Rozon Insurance, 150 Military Road, Lancaster – drop-off box at Main Entrance.
- Dairy Queen Cornwall – Top up your order with a donation at Drive-Thru or cash. And, if you order Dairy Queen’s Cotton Candy dipped ice cream cone on Radiothon Day, those funds will go directly to the hospital.
- Starbucks Cornwall – Drive-Thru station.
- RE/MAX Cornwall, 649 Second Street East – Drive-Thru station.
- O’Neill’s Pub, 29 Long Sault Drive, Long Sault – Drive-Thru station.
- Fine’s Home Hardware, 9 Thorold Ln, Ingleside – Drive-Thru station.
Donations can also be made online at cornwallhospitalfoundation.ca or by phone at 613-865-7200. All donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt through the mail.
Nolan Quinn of Dairy Queen Cornwall explained why he feels supporting the CCH is so important.
“The more we can be giving to our hospital the better it can serve our community,” he explained. “The hospital is the centre of our community.”
During the pandemic, Dairy Queen Cornwall provided free ice cream to CCH staff. On Thursday, Aug. 20, Dairy Queen Cornwall will be encouraging customers to round up to the nearest dollar on their purchase with those extra funds going to the CCHF, as well 100 per cent of the cost of all cotton candy dip cones sold that day will also be donated.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a bird’s-eye-view of the herculean preparation and commitment to patient care at CCH during this difficult time,” said Amy Gillespie, Executive Director at Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation. “It’s not easy for anyone, and there’s so much going on behind the scenes at the hospital. Patients like Marie remind us why we raise funds for local healthcare. Our Radiothon might look different this year, but there’s no better time to support CCH.”
