Sackville Memorial Hospital launches fundraising campaign to strengthen emergency care
The Sackville Memorial Hospital Foundation has launched a new $120,000 fundraising campaign that will provide the emergency department with necessary equipment upgrades to provide proper care to patients.
The Foundation says patient volumes at SMH have continued to rise, having recorded 12,000 visits in 2025. This total far exceeds the recorded 8,900 visits a few years beforehand. Existing equipment has been used more often, and as a result, the equipment has been in commission longer than intended.
The campaign will fund various equipment. An electrocardiogram machine will cost $22,000 and is essential to rapid heart rate monitoring and diagnosis, a glidescope will cost $28,000 for safer airway management in emergencies, and a bladder scanner that reduces unnecessary catheterization and can improve patient comfort will cost $14,000. These are some of the bigger ticket items the Foundation hopes to gain from community support.
A portable vascular doppler has a $600 price tag, six transport chairs will cost $24,000, two weight-compatible stretchers will cost $12,000, and a trauma bariatric stretcher is the last tool on the list, priced at $14,000.
The Foundation says these tools are necessary to the health care team’s ability to diagnose and treat patients more efficiently. The up-to-date equipment will also relieve staff strain and deliver more personal care.
Dr. Bruno Chiasson, emergency department physician, said SMH’s emergency department sees people during some of their most vulnerable moments.
“We see everything–medical emergencies, traumatic injuries, complex illnesses, and families seeking reassurance,” said Chiasson. “Having reliable, up-to-date equipment allows us to respond quickly and provide the level of care our community deserves.”
“Together, we can ensure our Emergency Department remains ready–not just for today, but for the growing number of patients who will depend on it in the years ahead,” said Bill Carroll, campaign chair.
To make a donation to the Sackville Memorial Hospital Foundation, visit SMHF.ca/Donate.
