Cancer and heart patients gain from major equipment donation for PRH

SPECT CT to be located in David E. Kampe tower

David Kampe grew up in poverty in Summerland in the 1940s.

From those humble roots, he learned about hard work and the importance of family. With his successful business ventures over the years, the owner of Peters Bros. Construction has focused on giving back to those in need, families and the community.

In particular, Mr. Kampe has been a key supporter of Penticton Regional Hospital. He believes having services closer to home results in better and more efficient access to health care.

His latest donation allows for the purchase of a SPECT CT unit, a key piece of nuclear medicine equipment at PRH to be used mainly for cancer and heart patients who previously had to travel to Kelowna General Hospital for the procedure.

Dr. Tracy Chandler and Dr. Stacey Piche, PRH radiologists, said the new program will do away with the extra travel to Kelowna for people already dealing with life-changing illness.

Cardiac patients wait up to six months for a Nuclear Medicine scan at KGH, said Chandler. A local program will provide more compassionate and timely access to nuclear medicine services.

Mr. Kampe has previously donated for a permanent MRI at PRH and supported the South Okanagan Similkameen (SOS) Medical Foundation’s campaign to provide the medical equipment for the new patient care tower now under construction. He also donated land at Industrial Avenue and Camrose Street, now being used for staff parking during the construction period.

Mr. Kampe said his donations are all about giving. Every gift is an encouragement to others to donate as well, he said.

Carey Bornn, Executive Director of the SOS Medical Foundation, echoes the call for others to help acquire medical equipment for the PRH expansion. It’s going to be an amazing new tower with the most up-to-date technology, he said. Now, because of this wonderful gift from David Kampe, that includes nuclear medicine imaging.

Mr. Kampe’s generosity hasn’t gone unnoticed.

John O’Fee, Interior Health board chair, said he is extremely pleased to announce that the new patient care tower at PRH will be known as the David E. Kampe Tower.

Penticton MLA Dan Ashton said having the Kampe name on the tower should be celebrated by the entire South Okanagan-Similkameen. Having these added facilities at PRH also helps attract family physicians to the region’s rural areas.

The new PRH tower will be ready for patients by early 2019, at which time construction will begin on Phase 2  a major expansion of the hospital’s Emergency Department.