Jeff loved the outdoors, especially while on his ATV. He had been out riding with friends on one of his last free days before starting college. It had been a great day for everyone until Jeff’s ATV rolled, and he lost consciousness for several minutes. When he came to, he complained of a very sore neck and tingling in his left arm. His friends brought him to the Emergency Department to be assessed. The ER physician became very concerned – Jeff was describing symptoms that suggested a neck fracture, and possibly spinal cord injury. Time was a factor and they did not have much of it. Early intervention with an injury like Jeff’s can make the difference between walking out of the hospital, and leaving in a wheelchair. Clear diagnosis was essential for preventing further damage, but conventional X-rays are not always able to accurately and fully diagnose injuries like Jeff’s. And while a neurosurgeon was immediately consulted, he was not prepared to take the patient in transfer until CT images had been obtained. An immediate CT scan was needed, but Groves does not have a CT scanner. Arrangements had to be made before the scan could be performed. Approval for a patient transfer had to be given from another hospital and facilities are often hesitant to assume care for another patient, even for the few hours they would be under their care. A time slot had to be reserved in the other hospital’s radiology department. Following the scan there is a wait time for the radiologist to review the scan and communicate the results. An ambulance had to be booked for the trip there and back to Groves. All of these steps can take hours, and both the financial and human resource costs are high. Jeff is back on his ATV, more cautiously, but very grateful and aware of how differently things could have turned out for him. But the need is still great. A CT scanner at Groves has the very real potential to save lives in our community. A CT scanner means the healthcare team can be involved on-site to communicate treatment options and make potentially lifesaving decisions quickly and effectively. That’s why we need your support. Donor gifts make a tangible difference to the care that Groves will be able to provide to their patients through the purchase of a CT scanner. We can’t do it without you and we hope that you will partner with us in this lifesaving opportunity. |
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