In the spring of last year, the Foundation set out to raise funds to purchase new cardiac monitors for the Ross Memorial Hospital. With the help of our Chief Hospitalist, Dr. Les Summers, we mailed the Spring Appeal letter to every home in the City of Kawartha Lakes, sharing the message "little things make a big difference".

They do, indeed: cardiac monitors are a critical piece of equipment at the Ross. They may be small, but the importance of this equipment cannot be overstated - so many big things evolve from their availability: diagnosis, treatment, and hopefully, full recovery. It's absolutely necessary to have them nearby.

A cardiac monitor provides a constant measure of a patient's vital signs, the pulse, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and the heart's rhythm. If a patient's heart rhythm becomes critically abnormal, we use electricity to bring the heart back to a normal rhythm, using a defibrillator.

It's useful in three ways: it's the most important item on a crash cart when we respond to a "code blue", which is the call that goes out when a patient is in cardiac arrest. The monitor is rushed to the patient's side and hooked up to help us see where the problem lies. When we're transferring a critical patient to the Intensive Care Unit, we rely on a cardiac monitor so we can tell immediately if his or her status is changing. It's also an essential item when a patient is being transferred to another hospital. 

Thanks to the outstanding generosity of our donors, the Foundation raised $102,936.25 and the hospital was able to purchase four monitors - two transport monitors for the Medical Unit, and two cardiac monitors for the Operating Rooms.

The Foundation would like to thank everyone who contributed to our Spring Appeal in 2009. Donors make the difference at the Ross Memorial!