More than 9,300 patients have already benefited from an MRI machine that residents of Perth, Smiths Falls and surrounding communities came together to pay for.
Now, after three years of fundraising, the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation has announced its MRI campaign is officially complete.
Approximately 2,100 donors made more than 3,200 gifts, raising over $5.5 million to cover the cost of the MRI and the construction needed to house it.
The original fundraising target was $6.1 million, but the project came in under budget, meaning the money raised was enough to pay for it entirely.
Foundation Chair Kristine Fair says reaching the finish line took persistence.
The MRI opened at Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital in November 2023, allowing patients to receive advanced diagnostic imaging without having to travel to larger centres.
As of October 1, 2026, 9,315 patients had received MRI services at the hospital.
That means fewer long drives, less time away from work and family, and faster access to important information close to home.
Fair says provincial government funding has also helped the hospital operate the MRI for longer hours.
The campaign brought together individuals, families, businesses and community organizations, with donations ranging from small personal contributions to larger fundraising efforts.
Fair says the achievement belongs to everyone who helped, regardless of how they contributed.
While the campaign’s completion marks a major milestone, the Foundation’s work is far from finished.
Hospitals must continually replace aging equipment and invest in new technology to meet the changing needs of patients.
Fair says the successful campaign now allows the Foundation to turn its attention to those priorities.
For the Foundation, the successful campaign represents more than a fundraising achievement.
It means thousands of patients can receive important medical care closer to the people and places they call home.
And it shows what two communities and their neighbours can accomplish when they work together.
