A $10,000 donation by Dr. Nathan Ek and his wife Elizabeth Benitez-Ek will benefit local cardiac and surgical patients, announced John Sullivan, Chair. Blanche River Health Foundation. 

“On behalf of Blanche River Health Foundation, I thank Dr. and Mrs. Ek for their generous gift to the community,” said Sullivan. “Blanche River Health Foundation is grateful for the support it receives, whether by donation, through estate planning, or by supporting the split the pot lottery. It all benefits local patients by providing clinicians with the tools and equipment they need to deliver quality care.” 

Today’s donation, made in the memory of the late Conrado Benitez Sr. and Dr. Daniel Ek, will be split evenly between the cardiac fund, and new equipment for the Operating Room, where Dr. Nathan Ek is the anesthesiologist. 

In addition to funding new equipment for the Operating Room, today’s announcement brings the total raised toward the $146,000 cardiac fund goal to $55,897.48, or 38 per cent of the goal, and will help purchase new medical equipment for the Operating Room:

• One automatic compression machine, used to provide patients with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when their heart has stopped beating. The machine would be for the Kirkland Lake site, as Englehart already has one.
• Replacement of seven cardiac monitors used at both sites by clinicians to ensure they are aware of any changes in heart activity.
• Two automatic emergency defibrillators (AEDs) to help restart a patient’s heart when it has suddenly stopped beating.

“We hope our donation will inspire others to give, because hospitals don’t receive government when new medical equipment is needed,” said Dr. Ek. “Hospital foundations raise the money that buys the tools clinicians use to care for patients, and that’s why we’re making this donation.” 

Blanche River Health is a 74-bed hospital corporation with two sites serving the North Eastern Ontario communities of Englehart (26 beds) and Kirkland Lake (48 beds) as well as residents in surrounding areas.

Photo caption: (Left to Right) Jorge VanSlyke, President and CEO of Blanche River Health, John Sullivan, Chair, Blanche River Health Foundation, Dr. Nathan Ek, Anesthesiologist, Blanche River Health, Elizabeth Benitez-Ek, Brian Bronson, Blanche River Health Foundation board member and Barbara Effenberger, Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Corporate Services, Blanche River Health.