The number 13 was more than lucky this year – as a grand total of $299,684 was raised for the Moose Jaw Health Foundation for a new lithotripsy unit and anaesthetic machines for the Dr F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital.

Just after the sunrise Thursday morning until the final donation closed at 6 p.m. Friday, the 13th Annual 800 CHAB Family First Radiothon was on the air, collecting donations. This year's fundraising goal of $150,000 was completed late Friday afternoon. 

The focus of this year’s fundraising goal was a lithotripsy unit.

Kenneth Loftus, who died last year, gave a $185,000 legacy gift donation to the cause this year. 

Past and present staff at the hospital took time to make a donation, come on 800 CHAB live to discuss the need for this equipment and the way that it can change the life of someone who could be going through incredible amounts of pain suffering from things such as kidney and gallbladder stones. 

"A more modern technique is the lithotripsy, which essentially zaps the stone and breaks it up into little pieces so that it's small enough for those little fragments to be passed with less discomfort, explained Dr.Mark Brown. 

One of the conversations that came up at the Radiothon on Thursday afternoon was the lure the new equipment would pose to younger doctors looking to put down some roots and knowing that they would have all the necessary tools right here in our city to be successful. 

"This is a huge, huge benefit to the city because of as a soon to be family doctor, it would be a massive benefit for people in Moose Jaw to be able to access this service in the city and not have to travel. Even for people who are in the southern part of the province being able to come here if we would be able to offer it as a consult service so they don't have to travel three, four, five hours to get this done while they're in pain with kidney stones," said Dr.Caitlyn Howe.

Money was also raised for anaesthetic units at the hospital. 

Stories rolled in from people and medical staff affected or by people who have had a hand in helping to raise funds within the Health Foundation. 

Knowing that the health care system makes its way into everyone's life at one point is a board member for the Health Foundation, Robin Schick. She said she's known people who have needed this very equipment that we're working towards obtaining. 

"Our families end up here for one reason or another over the years, it's evident that we need this type of equipment in our area," said Schick. "It would be great that they didn't have to travel away and go through all that pain. If you can help that, naturally we would, as a board member it feels really good [to help raise funds for new equipement]."

A man who has lead the charge to collect money to put towards our local hospital and even had his team at Henderson Insurance answering the phones was Dave Reidy. Reidy is the former board chair for the Health Foundation and the Capital Campaign. 

"That's one of the things that I noticed within the capital campaign, there's certainly the institutions within the community that do a great job year after year after year but the foundation is really something where every dollar makes a difference. Every donation, every person, every company, every group makes a difference," said Reidy. 

Kelly McElree, executive director of the Moose Jaw Health Foundation, said he was happy to be able to donate on behalf of the estate of Ruth Love, who included the Family First Radiothon in her will.

"I'm really honoured to be able to present this gift. Many foundation donors are including the health foundation in their wills. We've seen it over the years. And this gift by Ruth Love is very much a heartfelt gift. Her family came in and told us about their mom. And I'm very honoured to present a gift to the Family First Radiothon in the amount of $5,100. It's really a legacy of giving, that's going to affect thousands and thousands of people with the Lithotripsy unit and the anaesthetic machine. Thank you very very much, Ruth."Throughout the Radiothon, local paramedics helped out by literally answering the calls of people who wanted to donate to the cause.

Nathan Seminar, a paramedic for the hospital, said this yearly event helps out in big ways. And having a new facility makes it a better experience for everyone who needs to use the hospital. 

"Without question. From just simply having a covered garage, where we enter most of the time. To how we offload our patients into the rooms, the space, the equipment there. The transition from our care into the E.R.'s care and any department here has made our lives much easier." He added that "every little piece of the puzzle contributes to the outcome of the patient. The health, the wellbeing of them. All the way up until discharge, so any piece of equipment, any process that can be improved upon to help that patient leave the facility and have a better outcome is our goal as much as the hospitals."

The generosity of the people of Moose Jaw and area was evident throughout the radiothon. Everyone involved extends their thanks for all of the support.