Fort Nelson First Nation donates $100K for hospital CT scanner

FORT NELSON, B.C. — The Fort Nelson Hospital and Healthcare Foundation got a big boost for its goal of a CT scanner at the hospital in the city.

The organization announced a $100,000 donation from Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) as confirmed in a Facebook post on December 10th.

A CT scanner is a medical imager which uses x-ray technology to create detailed images of the body.  

The estimated cost for the project in the hospital is scheduled to be $8.2 million, according to the foundation’s website.

Currently, Fort Nelson General Hospital has a medical imaging department, but no CT scanner, something Northern Health told Energeticcity.ca is needed in the community “to support clinical teams and the community.”

“Northern Health is currently working on cost estimates and a timeline for the potential addition of a CT scanner as a new service in Fort Nelson,” reads a statement from Northern Health. “The health authority regularly engages with community leaders on this project and is committed to keeping the community informed as decisions are made.

“The Northern Rockies Regional Hospital District, Fort Nelson Hospital and Healthcare Foundation and now the Fort Nelson First Nation have committed to supporting this work.”

FNFN is the second First Nation in the Fort Nelson area to donate, as Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) donated $10,000 to the project last month.

The Facebook post reads the contribution “brings us closer to our goal of attaining CT diagnostic services which will have a lasting, positive impact on healthcare for every resident.”

To donate to the scanner or other projects, you can contact the foundation by email at fortnelson.foundation@northernhealth.ca or call (250) 774-8135.

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to representatives of the foundation and FNFN for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.