Community support is a tradition for the Poirier family of Alfred.

The family created the Fondation Famille Andre et Michel Poirier as a way to give back to the community that has been part a close part of the family’s history for generations.

Through the family foundation, the Hawkesbury and District Hospital Foundation will receive $250,000 to help support leading edge cardiac and breast imaging screening services that are available to residents in the Prescott-Russell region.

The family foundation honours a three-generation family legacy of community service that began with the Poirier family grandfather, Rene Carriere, who founded the family business, Carriere & Poirier Equipment, located in Alfred.

Following the recent sale of the business, Michel Poirier determined to set up a family foundation that would continue giving back to the community that supported his family through the years.

It reflects his gratitude to Hawkesbury and District General Hospital (HGH) for all the medical care his family has received over the years, from the births of his daughters to the medical aid his brother and parents received when they were diagnosed with cancer.

“Our family has been fortunate to build a business here and raise our family here,”stated Poirier. “Over the years, we have relied on the Hawkesbury hospital when we needed it most. When the time came to make one of the first major gifts through our family foundation, supporting the hospital was a natural choice If this gift inspires others to support local healthcare, then together we create something much larger than any one donation.”

The $250,000 bequest to the HGH Foundation will help support the purchase of a new GE Vivid Pioneer echocardiography system and an advanced MRI breast coil. These two acquisitions will enhance the hospital’s diagnostic capabilities and improve access to care for patents throughout the region.

The GE Vivid Pioneer is the latest generation development in cardiovascular ultrasound technology and HGH will be one of the few regional hospitals in Ontario with this diagnostic technology available. The MRI breast coil will improve detection and diagnosis of breast cancer among women in the region and neighbouring areas, and reduce the need for them to travel long distances to get similar diagnostic treatment at larger urban hospitals.

“What resonates most about this gift is the spirit behind it,” stated Erin Tabakman, HGH Foundation executive director. “Michel’s decision to invest in local healthcare is rooted in gratitude, community, and a desire to make a lasting difference for others.”

“Health care touches every family at some point,” stated Poirier. “This is our way of saying thank you.”