Foundation nets $1.2 million in donations
Money used to purchase new kidney dialysis machines at Lakeridge Health
By Graeme McNaughton/The Oshawa Express
It was a number that Lakeridge Foundation CEO Bob Baker refused to tell any media – including The Oshawa Express – last week.
Now, that number – the amount donated to the foundation in order to purchase much-needed kidney dialysis machines at the hospital’s sites in Oshawa and Whitby – has been revealed: $1.2 million.
The donations are being used to purchase 46 new dialysis machines. Eighteen of those are for home use, while the remainder will be at the two hospitals.
Baker told The Oshawa Express last week that the foundation is set to purchase 87 new dialysis machines over the next three years to replace machines that are reaching the end of their life.
The new dialysis machines are so important due to how serious kidney disease can be.
“Your kidneys are a vital organ, just like your heart or your liver. Many people have healthy kidneys and, if that’s you, then they’re hard at work filtering blood. But around the world, one in 10 people have kidney disease,” says Tom McHugh, Lakeridge’s regional vice president of cancer services. “In Durham Region, thousands of people are suffering from a loss of kidney function.”
Baker says the foundation will be continuously fundraising to purchase new dialysis machines as needed, as opposed to this instance where 87 machines needed to be replaced.