A prosperous day one of the Pharmasave Radiothon for Healthcare is in the books.

Over $68,000 was brought in on Thursday in support of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation putting them near the halfway mark of their $150,000 goal.

The largest lift to the total came via Ted Hanlon from a matching donation. He put forward up to $25,000 for day one.

"We can't do it [reach our goal] without people like Ted and the Hanlon family," said Jim Dekowny, the executive director for the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation.

The Cypress Regional Hospital will benefit from the two-day event with proceeds being used to buy a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC Line).

"A PICC Line is a more permanent, more reliable, less painful, IV access," Dr. Janna Cuthbert said.

The radiothon funds will also be put towards a blood assessment unit for the facility to replace the current one that's 13 years old.

"I believe it's the one that analyzes some of the blood clotting," she said. "I also understand that it will be doing another test that we've never had available here before. It can give us information that will keep our patients healthier." 

Dr. Cuthbert is also the president of the Southwest Medical Association which represents doctors in the southwest. They made a $5,000 donation to the radiothon during the lunch hour.

radiothon_2022_4Left-to-right: Jim Dekowny and Dr. Janna Cuthbert (photo by David Zammit)

"These pieces of equipment are essential for our patients to get the care they need as close to home as possible," she said. "This project is very close to our heart."

Several local companies chipped into the first-day total; SWT ($8,000), Living Sky Casino ($5,000), City of Swift Current ($2,500), Innovation Credit Union ($2,500), and W.W. Smith ($2,500).

"Without the gracious support of all the donors throughout the whole southwest, things like this don't happen," Dekowny said.

"We have a pretty unique corner over here in this part of Saskatchewan, a very giving corner. It's nice to have those people phoning in and helping us out."

The second and final day of the radiothon takes to the airwaves of CKSW 570, CJSN 1490, Eagle 94.1, and Magic 97.1 starting at 6 a.m. on Friday and wraps up at 5 p.m.