Arnprior Regional Health Foundation Celebrates Completion of $800,000 Scope for Hope Endoscopy Campaign

Arnprior, ON – August 13, 2026 – The Arnprior Regional Health Foundation is celebrating the successful completion of the Scope for Hope Endoscopy Campaign, reaching 100 per cent of its $800,000 fundraising goal thanks to the generosity of donors and the community.

Donors, supporters, Board members, physicians and Arnprior Regional Health (ARH) staff gathered Thursday for A Celebration of Hope BBQ, a special event recognizing the generosity behind the campaign and its impact on local patient care.

Launched in April 2025, the Scope for Hope Campaign had one goal: to ensure patients throughout the region can continue to receive safe, high-quality endoscopy services at Arnprior Regional Health.

The campaign was needed to replace ARH’s aging endoscopy equipment, which had reached the end of its useful life. The Arnprior Regional Health Foundation launched Scope for Hope to raise the $800,000 needed to fund the new equipment.

Modern endoscopy technology provides physicians and the Endoscopy Team with enhanced tools to support earlier detection, diagnostic accuracy, patient comfort and efficiency. Reliable, up-to-date technology also supports clinical workflow and helps provide a better experience for patients receiving care.

During the celebration, Raeline McGrath, Vice President, Integrated Care and Chief Nursing Executive at Arnprior Regional Health, spoke about what the investment means from a clinical perspective, including the importance of reliable, modern technology in supporting physicians and nursing staff, improving workflow and enhancing the patient experience. She also thanked the Foundation, donors and community for making the investment possible.

The new equipment was put into service before fundraising was complete and is already being used to care for patients at Arnprior Regional Health.

In January 2026, donors and ARH staff gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and toured the Endoscopy Suite, giving them an opportunity to see the new technology firsthand and learn how it is being used to support patient care.

At Thursday’s Celebration of Hope BBQ, the ribbon was cut once again, this time to symbolically mark the completion of the campaign.

“Today isn’t simply about celebrating the completion of a fundraising campaign. It’s about celebrating what can happen when an entire community comes together around a shared purpose,” said Ben Gardiner, Executive Director of the Arnprior Regional Health Foundation. “The Scope for Hope Campaign is proof that when our community believes in something, incredible things happen.”

Support came from across the region throughout the campaign, with individual donors, local businesses, service clubs and community organizations stepping forward through donations, matching gifts, fundraisers and partnerships.

At Thursday’s celebration, the focus also turned to the people who use the new equipment every day. Members of the Arnprior Regional Health Endoscopy Team were presented with Angel Pins following a donation made in their honour by a grateful patient who wanted to recognize the exceptional care he received during his endoscopy.

The patient described the department as a pleasant yet professional environment and shared how the kindness, confidence and support of the team helped ease his anxiety throughout his experience.

“When I was finally wheeled into the procedure room, my initial rising anxiety dissolved as I was met with smiling faces exuding confidence and support,” the patient shared.

The donation came at a fitting time, allowing the Foundation to recognize the Endoscopy Team as donors and staff gathered to celebrate the campaign. The presentation was a reminder that while Scope for Hope funded new technology, it is the skilled and compassionate people using that technology who turn the community’s investment into exceptional patient care.

Reaching 100 per cent officially brings the Scope for Hope Campaign to a close, but the impact of the generosity behind it will continue as the new equipment is used to care for patients for years to come.

The Arnprior Regional Health Foundation extends its sincere thanks to every donor, business, service club, organization, volunteer and supporter who helped fully fund this important investment and ensure patients can continue to receive high-quality endoscopy care close to home.