‘It means a lot’: North Bay hospital recognizes local family's contribution
A North Bay family is being recognized by the hospital for a large financial contribution made a decade ago, which helped purchase an MRI machine.
An auditorium at the North Bay Regional Health Centre is being named after the Fortier family -- Claude, Marie and Michel – after donating $500,000 in 2011.
Claude and Michel Fortier, father and son, at North Bay Regional Health Centre as the hospital dedicates auditorium to their family. Aug. 16/22 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)
Claude Fortier and his son, Michel, told CTV news they feel humbled to know the hospital they love named the space after them.
"It means a lot to the family for the recognition," Claude said.
He and his wife, Maria, moved from Hearst to North Bay in 1991 and found a love for the city and community.
They began to make small donations to the hospital foundation seeing the need to expand health care in the city.
The hospital used the donated money to purchase its first MRI machine and brought four radiologists on board to diagnose patients.
"This day to celebrate philanthropy is just so inspiring and rewarding and we're just so happy to be able to recognize the Fortier family in this meaningful way," said Tammy Morison, the hospital foundation president.
Before the MRI was installed, Fortier heard from seniors who described their trials and tribulations they faced, sometimes driving hours away just to get a scan.
"It makes it easier for the locals. They don’t have to travel long distances to get the services," Claude said.
"It would be a real tragedy if we didn't have this after COVID."
The MRI machine was upgraded in the fall of 2021 to improve capability and to get an accurate and timely diagnosis, whether that's a cancer screening or for having the correct operation.
"He's really been spearheading this with Tammy and the whole foundation to encourage others to contribute," said Michel Fortier, commenting on his father’s generosity.
The upgraded MRI has an extra wide bore and table that can support patients up to 550 pounds.
It was through planning and community generosity that allowed the hospital to keep the MRI magnet during the $1.7 million upgrade.
"More than 72,000 scans have been performed by our MRI machine since its implementation," Morison said.
As for Claude, he said he hopes his story will inspire others to donate to the hospital foundation.
"I only wish I had more money, so I could give more," he chuckled.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.