A long-awaited piece of medical equipment has arrived in southeast Saskatchewan with the installation of an MRI at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan. The project began with a $2 million donation from Elaine Walkom, who was pictured with the machine as it arrived on the back of a semi truck on Tuesday. The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation (SJHF) called Walkom’s donation a “transformational gift” that helped launch the MRI campaign that was carried forward by other donors, volunteers, businesses and officials in the community. “What once felt impossible is now becoming reality,” the hospital foundation said in a post on social media. “While there is still work ahead before the MRI becomes operational, seeing it arrive is a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose,” the SJHF said in another post. The arrival of the actual machine built by Siemens Healthineers was preceded by the addition of a modular building to house it in March. The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and the community have fundraised millions of dollars towards a fundraising goal of $6.5 million for the project after the SJHF was given the greenlight to start fundraising in 2024. Other project partners include St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Government of Saskatchewan and Emmanuel Health.
