Muslim Community Raises Funds for the MRI at the Rouge Valley Hospital
Friends Indeed, a Durham based Muslim social group engaged in community development work organized a fundraising event for the new MRI machine installed at the Rouge Valley Ajax Pickering Hospital. The event was arranged in partnership with the Pickering Islamic Centre and the Forrest Brook Community Church in Ajax.
A major milestone was reached by Rouge Valley Health System Foundation’s ‘Image is Everything’ campaign to raise $5 million dollars to bring MRI to this hospital.
Rouge Valley Ajax Pickering is the first community hospital in Ontario and the second hospital in all of Canada to be equipped with the MRI machine. This machine allows many examinations to improve the experience for claustrophobic patients and to help them reduce and minimize stress levels.
Support for the campaign has come from many donors, including individuals and families, community groups, several businesses as well as local municipalities. Our contribution even though may be modest in monetary sense but meaningful in real terms.
The fundraising event was held at the Forrest Brook Community Church in Ajax with over 300 people in attendance from various faith and cultural background, mostly Muslims of all stripes gathered to help raise funds for the much needed MRI machine hailed as the state of the art technology among health care professionals.
Chris Alexander MP, Mayor and councillor of Ajax and officials from Pickering Ajax Hospital spoke and lauded this joint effort and emphasized that such efforts must grow in number as they bring the community together and help in understanding each other more. 680 news anchor Mubin Qureshi emceed the event.
A cheque of $10,500 was presented to the officials of the hospital. Acknowledged as the highest amount donated by any group for the MRI— “Image is Everything” campaign. The Muslim community in Pickering /Ajax is pro-active in working closely with all citizens with a track record of raising funds for disaster relief to poverty alleviation programs at home and overseas.
When it comes to bringing hope and making a difference in the lives of people in need, this community never lags behind. When we fundraise for a cause as good as this MRI machine for the hospital, we are giving in more than one way. We are not only raising money, we are raising the awareness of everyone who hears about this event.
It is a tribute to this tiny community in this area, always willing to open their hearts for such laudable causes to improve the lives of people in distress. The contribution to the MRI is their latest effort in touching the lives of people they don’t even know.
Vaqar Raees, president of Friends Indeed a corporate senior manager and his team of committed individuals were instrumental in rallying the community.
The cheque was presented to the Hospital officials by Vaqar Raees, flanked by Mohammed Ehtesham Rahim president of the Pickering Islamic Centre, Pastor Don Palmer of Forrest Brook Church and FI members.