From left: Dr. Dan Lee, chief of Emergency Medicine, GBGH; Ron Adair, president, Midland Legion Branch 80; Ray Moreau, Midland Legion Branch 80; Nicole Kraftscik, executive director, GBGH Foundation; Dan Travers, Midland Legion Branch 80; Leslie Rapos, ED manager, GBGH; Tim Sweeting & Deidre Adair, Midland Legion Branch 80.
On October 30, 2020, members of the Midland Legion Branch #80 visited Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) to present a cheque for $6,600. The funds are being allocated to purchase a Tonopen for the hospital’s Emergency department (ED). This vital tool allows clinicians to check quickly for increased pressure inside of a patient’s eyes, which can indicate glaucoma and other types of vision loss.
“It’s so important that we have the tools to quickly assess and diagnose patients in the Emergency department,” says Dr. Dan Lee, chief of Emergency Medicine, GBGH. “The tonopen is absolutely essential when we are examining patients who have concerns about their vision, so we can determine the best course of action before anything worsens.”
“The Tonopen is so valuable to us, and we are in awe of the generosity of the local Legion,” adds Leslie Rapos, manager, ED, GBGH. “We want to thank them for their dedication, their sacrifices and for their continued support of our veterans and our community.”
The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #80 (Midland) supports veterans and their families in the Midland area in many ways, including investing in the local hospital that cares for them. Branch #80 has been providing funding to support veteran care at GBGH for more than 20 years, with donations totaling nearly $65,000. Recently, they have helped to fund an IV Infusion Pump, vital signs monitor & stand, and have partnered with Raytheon ELCAN to renovate a patient room in honour of our local heroes.
“On behalf of our Poppy campaign, and our membership, we always do our best to ensure our Georgian Bay General Hospital gets some funding each year,” says Ron Adair, president, Midland Legion Branch 80. “Vision loss is a common ailment for our veterans, along with many others in our community, and we are honoured to help purchase this tonopen to give our hospital the right tool to help with diagnosis.”