Additional MRI services in Kitchener-Waterloo will have a positive and profound impact on patients and families in our community. The current wait time for an MRI is much too long, with only a single MRI machine serving our local hospitals. With the addition of two more MRI machines, patients will be able to receive their scans much sooner and without the need to travel between hospitals. This will not only improve patient care but also the quality of life for families who are struggling to cope with the long wait times and the uncertainty of awaiting a diagnosis or treatment options.

Jennifer Roggemann is a part of one of these families. She recently supported the MRI campaign in memory of her father because she knows, first hand, just how big of a difference additional MRI services will make for local patients and families.

“It has been five years since my dear father passed away – October, 2017," Jennifer recounted. "We were advised that he had cancer at the end of August 2017 and were asked to do an MRI in early September 2017 to figure out what treatment he might be able to receive, if any. I remember riding in an ambulance with my dad, who was at St. Mary’s hospital, to get his MRI done at Grand River Hospital. Then, we joined with a long line up of patients to wait for his turn.

“I remember my dad kept holding my hands with a horrified look on his face during this wait time. While he was in the MRI room, he shook so badly because he was so scared … with me trying to calm him down in Korean, reassuring him that ‘all was ok’. While we knew that he had to go through this process, having to travel by ambulance on a wheeled bed from one hospital to another was a trauma for my family. After four weeks of struggles, my dad passed away on October 9th, 2017.”

To celebrate her father’s life and to honour his memory, Jennifer is committed to being a part of bringing more MRI services to our local hospitals for other families who need them.

"Earlier this year, I received an email from the hospital about raising funds for two new MRI machines and associated costs to improve the quality of our lives in KW,” she said. “At that moment, I was excited because it made me think of my dad again, five years after his passing. I wanted to celebrate his life with a contribution to Grand River Hospital Foundation. Our gift could help another family to have even better care and experience than we did.

“Our family is grateful for all the dedicated staff at both St. Mary's hospital and Grand River Hospital, including those at the Freeport palliative care unit: The janitor who cleaned my father's room shared comforting words. The radiologist who did my dad's CT scan was a second-generation Korean who attempted to speak Korean to my dad, who was so scared. The nursing staff worked hard each day and night. The numerous doctors cared for my dad through the six-week journey. And the oncologist came in on her vacation day so that we could make our care decision. We are thankful for all of the hospital staff who have contributed so much to our family over the years.”

Access to imaging is a necessity for providing the best patient experience and care. With your support and donations, we can ensure that every family in Kitchener-Waterloo has the opportunity to get an MRI when they need it. Join us in our joint goal of raising $10 million this year for additional MRI machines for St. Mary's General Hospital and Grand River Hospital. To donate, please visit https://grhf.ca/products/mri-machine