The Dr.Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation announced that they have received a pair of donations to support the organization’s fight for healthcare in southwest Saskatchewan.

Robynn’s Insurance Financial Group and The Co-operators donated $5,000 to the Close to the Heart Digital Mammography Campaign, while EDO Japan Swift Current made a donation of $500.

The $5,500 puts the Foundation one step closer to its goal of $350,000 to purchase a digital mammography machine.

EDO Japan’s contribution came through selling paper hearts while matching their patrons' contributions. That campaign started on Family Day long weekend but was forced to conclude when the pandemic started.

Robynn Schous, the agency owner and insurance financial advisor with Robynn’s Insurance Financial Group, said that they were happy to be able to support the Foundation.

“It is important to me to contribute towards the Close to the Heart Campaign because having access to advanced medical equipment locally will help reduce travel expenses and speed up medical prognosis allowing my fellow communitarians the opportunity for quicker and more economic treatment, and as a result, it will hopefully save lives.”

While giving Jim Dekowny, the executive director of the Foundation, the cheques for the donations, social distancing continued to be practised.

Dekowny said it was important for residents not to let their guard down despite the low activity.

“I think that’s the proper way to do it, even though there are no cases in Regina, southeast, southwest, central [Saskatchewan.]”

“If we want our summer back, our July and August back, I think the more we do it and buy into doing the social distancing and those types of things, we’ll be that much further ahead come September.

He added that recent donations have put them close to their goal for the digital mammography unit, and would be expected to publish a release in the coming weeks in regards to meeting their goal.