It is really great to see so many businesses and residents helping raise money for the A Clear View campaign.
The East Kootenay Foundation for Health launched its’ largest public fundraising campaign to date in October last year, to raise money to purchase a one million dollar digital mammography unit for the East Kootenay Regional hospital.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women. An estimated 23,200 Canadian women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,300 die of it a year. On average, 445 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week.
Despite this fact, many women are alive and well today because their breast cancer was detected and treated early.
In most cases, the earlier a cancer is detected, the better the chance of survival. Research has shown that women who have regular mammograms are more likely to survive breast cancer. Early detection may also mean less treatment and less time spent recovering. Research has proven that breast cancers detected in women who have regular mammograms are on average smaller and more treatable.
Without access to a mammography machine locally, many women in the Elk Valley may not catch the disease early enough – easily prevented tragedies can happen.
No government funding was forthcoming when the EKFH decided they wanted to provide this equipment to local women, so the decision was made to raise the funds to purchase a digital stereotactic mammography machine for the East Kootenay Regional Hospital, ensuring that the hospital would become a centre of excellence in breast cancer screening and diagnostics.
Since that decision was made, many organizations, service clubs, businesses small and large and individuals have come forward to help make this dream a reality and the campaign is now over halfway to reaching its goal.
In this uncertain economy it is humbling to see how the citizens of the Elk Valley work together to make a difference for all. Let’s keep going and reach the target sooner than the two year limit.
