(L to R) - Mark Berlingieri - Dealer Principal at Northside Volkswagen, Dionne Elgie - Donor Relations at Sault Area Hospital Foundation, Pina Paluzzi - Patient Care Manager for the Algoma District Cancer Program and TeleHealth at Sault Area Hospital, and Mario Palumbo - Dealer Principal at Northside Toyota and Northside Mazda.
Sault Area Hospital Foundation (SAHF) will be able to purchase a new piece of Lab equipment, thanks to a $27,000 donation from Northside Auto Group. The gift was made from the proceeds of their Charity Golf Tournament, held in September. The event was a great success, bringing together local supporters to help support local healthcare.
The proceeds will be used to purchase a new microtome for the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) Lab. This equipment is required for the diagnosis and monitoring of cancers and many other ailments.
The microtomes allow SAH Lab staff to cut a thin cross section of tissue from a biopsy to examine the cells and log any changes, or identify the existence of cancer or disease. The equipment is used approximately 4,500 times daily to cut tissue slides for local pathologists to review. To meet the demand in the laboratory there was the need for two microtome replacements this year. Both have now been funded by community support.
“Whether it’s early detection, monitoring or ensuring treatments are working, this microtome, and all the equipment in our lab, is here to assist the hospital in caring for local patients,” said Manda Rivers, Manager of SAH Lab. “Purchases like this give our physicians and healthcare teams access to the vital information that they need to deliver outstanding patient care.”
The microtome was an important purchase for the Northside Auto Group. The tournament is focused on supporting local causes – and with a deep desire to support cancer care at Sault Area Hospital, this purchase was the right fit. “We see so many of our friends here in Sault Ste. Marie affected by cancer. It just feels right to give those incredible physicians, nurses and the rest of the healthcare team at our hospital the tools they need to care for our community. We are so glad we got to work with the SAH Foundation and replace a piece of equipment that has impacted the care of so many patients in the past,” Mario Palumbo, Dealer Principal at Northside Toyota and Northside Mazda.
Mark Berlingieri, Dealer Principal of Northside Volkswagen added, “It’s special to say we are purchasing this microtome for the Lab and it will support care across our hospital, including the cancer care so close to our hearts. To be part of that future is very meaningful to not only our team, but everyone that supported our golf tournament because we know we are doing it for our friends, families and customers so they won’t have to travel and will be taken care of right here in Sault Ste. Marie.”
Sault Area Hospital Foundation has a number of restricted funds that allow donors to contribute towards purchases of equipment for a specific area of the hospital. Had Northside Auto Group simply directed their gift toward the Foundation’s Cancer Care Fund, only a portion of these proceeds would have been available to be used to purchase the microtome. Thanks to ongoing conversations with the Foundation, Northside was able to direct their gift to fully purchase the microtome – helping thousands of local patients.
“When our Foundation has the opportunity to work together with donors like Northside Auto Group, we can align their goals – in this case, supporting local cancer care – with the immediate needs of our hospital. It’s always so gratifying to be able to connect donors to equipment that will have a direct impact on care. Local lab processing can speed up wait times for results – and when you are waiting to find out whether or not you have cancer, every minute counts. This microtome will help so many patients get the important answers they need,” said Teresa Martone, Executive Director, Sault Area Hospital Foundation.
The Northside Auto Group Charity Golf Tournament and all their supporters have made this essential purchase possible. On behalf of the Sault Area Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors, Staff and all the patients this donation will impact, thank you for making local healthcare a priority. This purchase will impact local lives for the next decade and beyond. Donors like you ensure the care provided at Sault Area Hospital continues to be outstanding.
