Hospital Foundation recognizes Cameco donation

Elliot Lake St. Joseph’s General Hospital Foundation fundraising chairman William Elliott met with representatives from Cameco uranium refinery, including newly appointed General Manager Terry Davis, to recognize the company for its $90,000 donation to the hospital’s $1.8 million CT scanner project.

It was the first meeting for Elliott and Davis held on Thursday and gave the general manager of Blind River-based Cameco an opportunity to view the donor plaque in the hospital’s main lobby. The plaque will have the names of all the donors to the CT scanner project.

Thursday’s presentation was also the first time Davis has met newly hired hospital CEO, Jeremy Stevenson.

The total Cameco donation came as part of the company’s annual Cameco Giving Campaign where employees raised $30,000 and Cameco put in $60,000.

Elliott said he would like to make a formal presentation to plant employees about the donation for the scanner now in place and operational once pandemic restrictions are lifted.

Cameco has been doing similar fundraising campaigns for 16 years with employees picking a charity and raising funds through payroll deductions, according to company employee Karin Pilon who attended Thursday’s gathering outside the hospital along with employee Stephanie MacLeod from Elliot Lake.

“We are proud to be a part of the local community. Cameco and the Blind River refinery employees are very happy to support the CT scanner project. For a small site, Cameco and our employees have been able to do a lot for the local area by always selecting projects where we can help make a positive difference in the community, and this is an excellent project and a perfect example,” Davis told Elliot Lake Today of the company and its 138 employees.

“It’s important to remember the employees are a big part of what Cameco has done,” Elliott said of the scanner donation, acknowledging the company has made donations to other foundation projects in the past.

“We try to choose projects that make a difference in the community and this one (scanner) is just an excellent example for the region,” Pilon said.

“Cameco has been a great supporter of the foundation and to the communities,” Elliott added.

It’s estimated the CT scanner will save about 2,200 people having to make the trip to Sudbury or Sault Ste. Marie for a similar service.