Fall Appeal 2026
"What is essential is sometimes invisible to the eye." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
When you or a loved one walks through the doors of the Colchester East Hants Health Centre, you feel the strength of our team. You see the smiling faces of the nurses, the steady hands of the surgeons, and the care provided in our recovery rooms.
But there is a part of our hospital that you will likely never see. A department that doesn't have a waiting room, yet is the heartbeat of patient safety.
It is our Medical Device Reprocessing Department (MDRD).
MDRD is the hospital’s invisible shield. Every scalpel used in an operating room, every scope used for a life-saving diagnostic procedure, and every instrument used in a minor emergency—they all find their way here. In the MDRD, our dedicated team performs the meticulous, high-stakes work of washing, disinfecting, and sterilizing these instruments to the highest standard of safety.
They are the guardians of your safety. Without them, there is no surgery. There is no diagnosis. There is no healing.
However, our guardians are currently facing a challenge. To keep pace with the demands of modern medicine and continue providing the highest standard of care, our MDRD is in urgent need of an equipment upgrade. “The new equipment will play a vital role in enhancing patient safety by supporting the highest standards of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of medical devices,” Bonnie Clarke, MDRD Supervisor.
This fall, we need to raise $629,750 to acquire three critical pieces of technology:
A new Washer Disinfector: The first line of defense in removing contaminants. Imagine your grandmother arriving for emergency hip surgery after a fall. Before her surgeon ever enters the operating room, every instrument used in her procedure has already passed through the washer disinfector—removing blood, tissue and contaminants before sterilization can even begin. It is the first critical step in protecting her from infection.
A Height-Adjustable Decontamination Sink: Allowing our staff to perform their intricate, high-precision work with better ergonomics and focus. After your grandmother’s surgery, hundreds of intricate surgical instruments return to the MDRD. Before they can be sterilized, every hinge, channel and delicate surface must be manually inspected and cleaned. The adjustable sink allows staff to work safely and precisely through thousands of these repetitive, detailed tasks every week, reducing fatigue while improving focus.
A Low-Temperature Sterilizer: Essential for treating the modern, sensitive instruments that today’s advanced surgeries require. A patient undergoing a colonoscopy to investigate possible cancer depends on sophisticated scopes that cannot withstand traditional high-temperature sterilization. The low-temperature sterilizer safely prepares these delicate instruments so they can be used again quickly, allowing more patients to receive timely diagnoses.
Raising these funds isn’t just about purchasing "equipment", it’s about peace of mind. It’s about knowing that when your loved one is under anesthesia, the tools being used are beyond reproach.
I am reaching out to you today because you understand that a hospital is more than just walls and beds—it is a community effort. I am asking you to help us bring these silent heroes the support they need. “This investment demonstrates a commitment not only to patient safety but also to the health and well-being of the dedicated staff who work diligently behind the scenes to support patient care.” Bonnie Clarke, MDRD Supervisor.
To do this, we need your help. Together, we can make sure that our hospital’s invisible shield remains unbreakable.
Should appeal donations exceed the current amount needed, or if priority needs change, your gift will be used to fund other priority equipment or patent care enhancements for your Health Centre.
Sincerely,
Sharon Crowe
Executive Director, CEHHC Foundation
P.S. You may never see our MDRD department, but you can trust it every time you enter our hospital. Help us keep that trust strong. Please make your donation today and be the difference in a patient's experience.