Mr Peter Cutliffe, Chairman of Friends performed official opening, surrounded by Radiology staff and hospital management.
Mr Peter Cutliffe, Chairman of the Friends of Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) officially opened the new CT scanner today. The Friends supported and funded this project to the value of €450,000. Currently LUH will be the only level 3 hospital in the country to have two functional CT scanners once the refurbishment of the Radiology Department is completed in mid 2019.
Mr Cutliffe thanked Mr Sean Murphy, Hospital Manager for inviting him to officially open the CT scanner.
He said that last year, the Friends celebrated 25 years in existence and over that period we raised over €6 million, most of it was used to kick start new service developments in the hospital, especially those that enabled people in Donegal to get the service locally rather than having to travel to Galway or Dublin for it. When the refurbishment of the Radiology Department is finished next year, LUH will be the only level 3 hospital in the country to have two CT scanners in operation. This would not be the case only for the Friends.
He extended his thanks and gratitude to his fellow directors who ensure that there is a robust governance system in place in running the Friends. He mentioned the many more members plus a much wider network of volunteers who actually do the work on the ground in raising the money and they deserve our appreciation.
He put particular emphasis on an array of business people in the county who sponsor events for the Friends and invited people to look up the Friends Facebook and Website, they are all there.
Mr Cutliffe stressed the major contribution the Friends have made to the hospital over the years, most notable this year where the Friends have spent €450,000 on the CT scanner in February this year and have just placed on order with Phillips for the medical equipment for the Interventional Unit in Radiology to the value of €750,000. The Friends have also agreed the next fund raising initiative with hospital management, EBUS for the respiratory medicine department.
He concluded that the Friends is all about the local community in Donegal supporting its own hospital for the community’s own benefit. As well as our own fundraising events, he said they rely on unsolicited donations from the general public which we are eternally grateful for. All money raised is spent in the hospital, the Friends have very little administration costs. He encouraged people to get involved and to support the Friends in every way they can as it is evident the good work they do.
Mr Sean Murphy, Hospital Manager, Dr Clare Roach, Saolta Group Clinical Director, Dr Robin Singoryan, Consultant Radiologist, Mr Ian McGarvey, Mayor of Letterkenny Municipal District & life long Friends supporter also spoke of their appreciation of the contribution of the hospital.