Throughout the City of Kawartha Lakes, families are gathering around their Christmas trees, decorating the boughs with ornaments that evoke memories of holidays past. Today, at the Ross Memorial Hospital, a group gathered around three Christmas trees in the main lobby, and decorated the boughs with ornaments sent in by people in the community. Many of these ornaments have been sent in memory of loved ones. Each is a gift to the community, as it was sent with a donation for the annual Christmas Appeal.

The Christmas Appeal is a fundraising campaign that helps the Hospital to purchase much needed equipment. This year, the Foundation is proud to partner with the Auxiliary, and together with the help of the Dragon Flies Dragon Boat crew, they're raising funds to purchase digital mammography equipment. The partners are happy to be working with Dr. Gail Payne, who battled breast cancer ten years ago, and understands the importance of early detection and treatment. As a member of the Dragon Flies Dragon Boat team, she's committed to helping raise awareness of breast cancer.

Over the past two weeks, Appeal letters have been delivered to every household in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The theme this year is "Time to Reflect" - as people reflect on what is important to them this holiday season, the Foundation hopes they'll consider the impact of contributing to this important project. 

Digital mammography provides a clearer picture than conventional film screen mammography unit, even through dense breast tissue. It also allows radiologists to zoom in on problem spots to see exactly what they are. By getting a better view of calcifications, surgeons are better able to remove them without taking a large piece of the breast, so it's less deforming for the patient. The greater speed and accuracy of digital mammography means patients need fewer retakes, and they're exposed to less radiation. They're also in and out faster. In time, that would enable the Hospital to reduce wait times for mammography.

The cost of the digital mammography equipment is $600,000. Both the Foundation and the Auxiliary have committed to raise half of the total. "We'll be working hard toward our new goal of raising $300,000 for digital mammography equipment," said Jim Young, President of the RMH Auxiliary. "The Auxiliary has a long history of counting on our community, and I know people will want to help support this vitally important cause."

The Dragon Flies Dragon Boat crew has been a significant supporter of this project.  The Dragon Flies are local breast cancer survivors who not only support each other, but also raise awareness and funds for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Proceeds from their annual Dragon Boat Festival are helping us to reach our fundraising goal.

Statistics tell us that one in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. A lesser known fact is that one percent of men over the age of sixty will also be diagnosed with breast cancer. "This equipment will help the Hospital to diagnose people with breast cancer faster, giving them a better chance to beat it," said Coons. "Those people have friends and families, too. This is an appeal that affects all of us."

Coons joined Dr. Payne to decorate the Foundation's Christmas trees, along with Jim Young and volunteers Denyse Morgan and Ralph Griffin, and Dragon Flies crew member Nancy Hanna.

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