Digital mammography closer to a reality

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
SIGN OF THE TIMES — Dr. Bob Ellis, left, and Elizabeth Dulin, executive director for the Health Services Foundation, check out the new sign erected at Ellis’ practice on Court Street. The sign reveals how much money the Foundation has raised for its digital mammography campaign.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Fundraising to purchasing new digital mammography equipment for Houlton Regional Hospital is more than half-way complete as the Health Services Foundation unveiled a new sign detailing how much money has been raised thus far.
    The sign, located in front of Dr. Bob Ellis’ optometry business on Court Street, was erected Friday, July 29 to let residents know of the Foundation’s progress. In less than a year, the group has raised $216,000 for its digital mammography campaign.
    Ellis, who is the president of the Foundation’s board of directors, said he volunteered to have the sign placed in front of his office because of his family history of breast cancer.
    “Nearly everyone has some relative or loved one who has been affected by this,” Ellis said. “This is a cause that I feel strongly about.”
    “We decided on the digital mammography project in September 2010, but fundraising did not start until December 2010 when the actual digital mammography system was chosen,” said Elizabeth Dulin, executive director for the Foundation. “This has given us a little shorter window than the one year we hoped for to raise all the funds, however, we remain optimistic that even with a delayed start we will still make the goal.”
    The Foundation hopes to reach its goal of $375,000 by Sept. 30. The system that will be coming to HRH is a “GE Senographe Care Full Field Digital Mammography System.”
    Some of the major fundraisers held to date have been: Houlton Regional Hospital conducted an in-house campaign with hospital employees raising $65,000 in support of the project; the foundation’s annual diamond ring raffle, which raised $11,766; an auction event that exceeded expectations with $20,000 generated; a quilt raffle that brought in far more than expected with $3,300 raised; and $90,000 from seven significant gifts for this project.
    “Since our fiscal year is almost over, the large actual fundraisers have already occurred and now we are currently in the process of doing grant writing,” Dulin said. “We are also soliciting businesses, banks, as well as other corporate organizations and looking at doing a community mailing not only for those living in the areas we support (southern Aroostook, northern Washington and northern Penobscot counties), but also those who live away that still have ties to Houlton.”
    Up next for the Foundation’s fund-raising plans is the County Open golf tournament held Aug. 12-13.  The Foundation also learned that the Houlton Ladies Golf Association is going to put on a golf event on Saturday, Sept. 17 in support of this mammography project. Anyone wanting to know more about participating on that day can call the Houlton Community Golf Course at 521-2662.
    “We were absolutely delighted when they told us they would like to put this event on and raise money for this cause,” Dulin said. “Breast cancer is a very serious health care issue which affects not just women, but men as well, and early detection is going to be one of the greatest tools we can give our patients so they can have peace of mind knowing that they are receiving the very best possible screenings available.
    “Our high-risk patients are already telling me how grateful they are that this system is coming so they will no longer have to travel great distances to facilities that offer this service,” she continued. “No one can fully understand how much this means to someone if they have not faced such a devastating diagnosis.”
    To make a pledge to the Foundation, call Dulin at 521-2147 or visit www.healthservicesfoundation.org.