Several members of the Hough Memorial Cancer Fund Society recently made their last donation as a society to the Cariboo Memorial Hospital.
It was given to the oncology unit, spending approximately $35,000 for three reclining chairs and one lift chair for patients to use during their hours-long treatment sessions.
Audrey Hyde, a society member since 1996, said seeing their final donation is “bittersweet” while retired doctor and longtime society member, Dr. Noel Donnelly said “Sadly we’re all just too old to keep it going.”
Since forming in 1972, the Hough Memorial Cancer Fund Society is dissolving after more than fifty years of service and passing the reigns to the Cariboo Memorial Hospital Foundation.
During that fifty-plus years, Hough Memorial had raised more than $3 million for cancer-detecting equipment.
Hough President Mary Telfer said she thinks the donation is wonderful and she’s glad the Society was able to raise the money from the community to make the purchase.
“For our oncology unit, we have cancer patients that are here for upwards of six hours at a time getting their treatment, and so sitting in comfortable chairs is important.” Tina Pole, Clinical Operations Manager for the Ambulatory Care/Oncology Unit, said, “We are very thankful for the donation by Hough Memorial.”
In addition to the new chairs, a plaque is hung on the wall nearby in honour of local resident Colleen Dargatz, a cancer patient who passed away and donated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her house to the Society.
“We thank the community for their donations over the years and encourage residents to continue donating their time and funds to cancer detecting equipment which will now happen through the Cariboo Memorial Hospital Foundation,” the Society said.
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