Funding requests boost MRI campaign at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital

While offering many services to its residents and patients, Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (AMGH) and its Foundation is currently working towards bringing an MRI machine to Goderich.

Residents must travel outside the area for MRI services offered in London, Owen Sound and Stratford.

In a community-led effort spearheaded by AMGH Foundation and volunteers, the Magnetic Moments Capital Campaign aims to raise $6.5 million to make this goal a reality at AMGH.

The MRI unit itself costs upwards of $2,300,000 and may increase due to inflation. The rest of the funds will go towards construction, renovations, administrative and contingencies.

Bringing an MRI machine to AMGH keeps healthcare dollars local, strengthens hospital services, enhances emergency care capacity and reduces downstream healthcare costs.

The Town of Goderich is already making payments for the MRI machine, and currently for enhancements at the Maitland Valley Medical Centre (MVMC). Yet, Goderich Council understands the importance of the MRI campaign, and members of council agreed they need to be leaders on this campaign.

“We can all recognise how important the MRI is, but it’s not just important to Goderich, it’s important to those surrounding communities,” said Mayor Trevor Bazinet.

“Whatever they are going to donate, they will donate, but at the end of the day it’s upon us to show some leadership.”

Huron County is predominantly rural and aging faster than the provincial average, and without local MRI access, this means diagnostic delays, delayed treatment starts, increased hospital transfers and inequitable care compared to other centres.

While the province funds hospital operations, it does not fund essential equipment like MRI machines or the renovations required to install them. That responsibility rests with the community.

At the May 4 Council meeting, the Magnetic Moments Capital Campaign Committee asked the Town of Goderich to consider a leadership contribution of $1 million to help champion this project as a regional priority.

“We are asking for your financial support of the campaign and respectfully request that Council consider establishing the hospital foundation as a recurring line item in the Town’s annual budget, recognizing its essential role in our community,” wrote Dr. Kittmer in a letter to Council, dated April 23.

According to Kittmer, there will be a donor wall recognising those who make this project possible.

Recently, Central Huron Council approved a $250,000 contribution toward the purchase of a new MRI machine for the Alexander Marine Hospital Foundation.

The donation will be funded through the municipality's Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) reserve funds.

 “I am in support of this, but I feel it should be just the full amount this year for two reasons... who knows what next year will bring as it could be in favour of the new council,” said Councillor Alison Lobb.

“They may not be in favour. I think we should pick a certain amount this year but to just give the one-year donation.”

Other council members discussion the pros and cons about whether the contribution should be spread over several years; but council ultimately agreed to provide the full amount immediately to support the project and assist fundraising efforts.

 The request of $1 million from the Town of Goderich is a sizeable donation, and Goderich Council discussed if another structured payment plan would be reasonable to continue to support local healthcare.

At the May 25 meeting, Council was missing a member and Mayor Bazinet wanted to decide with a full council present, and with some more information from the AMGH Foundation and campaign leads before deciding on how to best support an MRI machine coming to Goderich.

“I know firsthand with the healthcare in the last year or so, I’m very thankful for the equipment we have at our hospital, and I’m very thankful our ER is open, and I’m thankful for the physicians and nurses who work at our hospital and our medical clinic,” stressed Bazinet.

“We want to continue to support that because you never realise the importance of it, until you actually need it firsthand.”

Goderich Council will also consider what Central Huron and ACW municipalities are donating to the campaign, before making any decisions.

Future discussion would centre around how much the Town of Goderich will donate to the campaign, how to pay it and a possible structure for a payment model over time.

Goderich Council has deferred this decision until they receive more information from Town Staff and from the AMGH Foundation. Next meeting is June 17.