(Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Radio-Thon

Operation Laparoscopy is a ‘Mission Possible’

May 9, 2024 | 6:34 PM

UPDATE: At 4pm, over $230,000 had been raised.

The community has turned out in droves for their Battlefords Union Hospital.

“Mission Possible”: Operation Laparoscopy continues until 6p.m. Matt Ryan of CJNS spoke about the importance of the fundraiser.

“When people are getting surgeries and they need to be looked at from the hospital, I mean laparoscopic surgery can just cut the recovery time and really the pain that the patient may go through in half,” he said.

“It’s going to a fantastic cause and the radiothon is always a fantastic event to be a part of.”

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As residents come into the hospital with smiles on their faces to donate, Foundation Executive Director Leeanne Ducommun, said the communities showed up.

“What an inspiring day, I think Mother Nature’s definitely on our side with the sunshine,” she said.

“People, their hearts are warm and giving. This is what we’ve seen all day which is just fantastic.”

The Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation is hoping to raise $530,000 for three Stryker laparoscopic towers for the operating rooms.

“This is huge,” said Nic Fransoo, program director for the Pattison Media stations of the state-of-the-art future equipment in an earlier interview with battlefordsNOW.

Once the new towers are in place, it will allow the teams to get a 4K view of the area in a less invasive manner.

“That will be avoided with many different procedures that previously would’ve had to been full incision type surgeries,” he said, noting they will also dramatically reduced recovery times.

Leeanne Ducommun, executive director with the foundation, said the capital campaign in partnership with On Air for Healthcare will ensure that surgical capabilities.

“They enhance the visualization and the access for surgeons during procedures,” she said in an earlier interview.

It all takes place this Friday with a series of interviews both in person ad pre-recorded will get the community buzzed about the fundraiser and throughout the day, the team will air earlier interviews, while visitors and on-air guests will drop by for live donations and talk about the importance of the initiative.

According to Chris Etcheverry, director of acute care, this modern method is essentially key-hole surgery and at the current towers are coming to the end of their lifespan.

“Just like anything computers – things last about eight to 10 years and it’s time to get something new,” he said in a previous interview.

The hospital, he said, doesn’t just support the Battlefords and surrounding areas, patients come from all over the north for treatment.

“Folks are travelling by air, by car, by ambulance to North Battleford because we offer a larger array of services that aren’t necessarily found in all other smaller areas,” he said.

Thinking on the number of years the fundraising initiatives have allowed the team to bring in new equipment, Etcheverry credits the residents themselves.

“It never ceases to amaze me how our community and surrounding areas always rise to the challenge to help their local hospital.”

Tune into 993Beach, Q98 and 1050 CJNB for updates on the fundraising efforts.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

On X: jls194864