The Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital Foundation (BMP Foundation) recently held its Annual General Meeting where various fundraising campaigns, projects, and investments were highlighted for 2021-2022. The BMP Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports the region’s Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital (BMP Hospital) by investing in top quality equipment and carrying out projects that help improve the health care services provided and that support the needs of the hospital. 

In its report, the foundation also announced upcoming acquisitions and projects that will require an investment of $668,287 that will further support the needs of patients and the work of staff at the BMP Hospital. Francis Laramée, director of the BMP Foundation, does a round up of some of the foundation’s work over the last year and what’s in store for the future.

“We were actually really proud to participate in a new project that is a mobile unit for vaccinations for the whole territory of the Estrie. We were many foundations that funded that project,” said Laramée. “(…) We have also focused on putting elderly people in the CHSLDs in contact with their family. We provided digital tablets that allowed people to use applications, such as Skype, in order to at least keep in touch with each other.”

Other projects for 2021-2022 included funding zoo therapy sessions for the CHSLDs and investing in equipment for the Respiratory Therapy Department at the BMP Hospital to help make things run more efficiently. 

“What is really interesting about that equipment is the infusion pump. This is a little box that administers medication to the patients automatically and on a fixed dosage. One of the uplifts is that nurses don’t have to run around to make sure that they give the medication on time to their patient,” explained Laramée. “It gives them a peace of mind that the patient will be correctly medicated at the designated time and frees up time for the nurses to take care of other patients.”

These investments and projects were supported by many small fundraising initiatives organized by the BMP Foundation throughout the year, more particularly meal baskets to go or gift baskets for special occasions, that helped raise a total of nearly $200,000. 

“We were still under Covid restrictions, so most of our traditional in-person events were not taking place. (…) We had a BBQ lunch that happened. We also had a ‘Reach for the Stars’ event in Glen Sutton that raised $12,000 that day and the ‘Walk to End All Cancers’ that took place virtually that raised over $102,000, which was an amazing mobilization of the community,” noted Laramée.

Despite being a challenging time with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Laramée said that the foundation is proud of what it was able to accomplish with the help of dedicated staff. 

“We know that unfortunately, health care funding has a fixed limit per year. Therefore, we are there to make sure that everything that should be happening happens and to put a little extra into everyones lives if we can,” he said. 

Never the one to slow down, the BMP Foundation already has future investments in the works. 

“One of the most significant pieces of equipment that is in the works at the moment is the mini c-arm machine, which is a mobile medical imaging device. (…) This will help the orthopedist to facilitate the surgery without moving the patient back and fourth to the Medical Imaging Department,” explained Laramée. “We also have project for the Gynaecology Department, which we will be buying a device to help treat women. Also, we have for the Oncology Department, the will to buy vital sign monitors.”

The foundation also announced that the Virtual Walk to End all Cancers, organized in collaboration with the Yamaska Valley Optimist Club, will be taking place from October 2 to November 2 and that its annual Oktoberfest event will be back in person at the Domaine des l’artisans in Brigham on October 29. 

“I think that most of all, people should be thanking everybody who gives us a donation, who buys tickets to our events, or that participates in our fundraising activities. I know that sometimes, it may seem like a drop in the lake, but all mobilizations of the community are important. It’s when we come together that we can make a big change,” emphasized Laramée. 

For the BMP Foundation’s full 2021-2022 report. 

For information about the Virtual Walk to End all Cancers and Oktoberfest. 

Listen to the full interview below: