September 2019
“State-of-the-art” means big bills.
What are some of the biggest expenses that hospitals take on?
Technology and equipment.
Equipment is not cheap, and because children’s hospitals treat patients from super tiny premature babies to full grown teenagers, each piece of equipment needs to be adaptable to treat all sizes.
So, how heavy are these costs? Heavy.
For example, an MRI machine, used to detect tumours and other internal issues, can be as cheap as $150,000, or as expensive as $1.2 million. And that’s used. For one brand new, high-end MRI machine, the bill can hit up to $3 million [1] [2]. Our governments help with some of these costs, but their contributions cannot fund all of the required equipment, so kids lose access to the best treatment options.
This is where donors step up.
The money we raise together helps hospitals offset these costs. 41% of donor funds are used to buy equipment, including equipment that gives precise diagnosis and offers less painful treatments for kids with cancer, including IRM units & progressive cavity pumps. This is critical in making treatment manageable and more successful for kids in Canada.
For example, Children’s Hospital in London, Ontario, was able to purchase a new, updated transport incubator with state-of-the-art technology, allowing the Transport Team to control heat, humidity, oxygen and noise levels for NICU babies. These essential features for protect vulnerable children’s senses, mitigate trauma and promote positive long-term health outcomes.
Your dollar is critical. It directly helps raise our hospitals to the next level of access, and are making a huge impact on health care for everyone in Canada.