PHOTO: PECMHF/SUBMITED
This Giving Tuesday, the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is calling on the community to come together for one powerful day of generosity to help bring a new digital mammography machine to the new PECMH.
Giving Tuesday is a global celebration of kindness and philanthropy, held each year after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s a moment when people everywhere come together to strengthen their communities through donations, volunteering, and simple acts of care.
This year, PECMH Foundation’s Giving Tuesday focus is clear: ensuring that patients in Prince Edward County have access to the most advanced breast screening equipment available.
A new digital system will deliver faster, sharper, and more reliable mammogram images, the very tools that make early breast cancer detection possible.
For Milford resident Judy Plomer, the cause is deeply personal. Each year when she visits the hospital for her mammogram, she’s reminded of her mother, Rosemary Crockett, who was just 47 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1976, a time when breast screening services weren’t yet available.
“From the day we lost my mom, I promised myself I would never take early detection for granted,” Judy shares. “I’ve had a mammogram every year since. It’s the most important test a woman can get.”
Despite enduring radical surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, Rosemary passed away at age 59, leaving behind her husband and four children. Judy’s story is a powerful reminder of how far medical technology has come.
On Giving Tuesday, December 2, the PECMH Foundation invites the community to support the campaign to purchase a new digital mammography machine, estimated to cost $1 million.
More than 1,550 mammograms were performed at PECMH last year. However, the hospital’s current equipment is over 12 years old and has surpassed its recommended lifespan.
The new machine will ensure patients continue to receive fast, accurate diagnoses and compassionate care close to home, including in the County’s new hospital currently under construction.
To donate, visit the PECMHF website.
