Supporting Medical Clinic Lottery
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, April 24, 2018
By Ken Waddell
Neepawa Banner & Press
Last May, I wrote a very personal story about our family, more specifically about my wife Christine.
Chris had to have surgery last year and I noted then that she had a very quick diagnosis because we have a good group of local doctors. I said then, “It is only locally that we can change our world. I doubt, that even given decades of very direct political involvement, that Chris and I will have much influence on the big system. However locally, we and everyone who lives in a small local community can take our destiny in our hands and make a difference for ourselves and our future. Neepawa, or more precisely, the Neepawa Area Development Corporation (NADCO) has bought, renovated and expanded the Beautiful Plains Medical Clinic. Now they have bought more land, two pieces, in fact, to make room for another large expansion.”
A success story: There are several doctors at the medical clinic and more to come. It is a success story. Without a clinic, there are no doctors, without doctors, there is no clinic. Without NADCO stepping up there would not be a successful clinic in Neepawa today. There is no way around it, Neepawa is the medical centre of our region and it is largely because we have a number of doctors.”
The expansion I spoke of last spring has now been tendered out for construction. It is hugely important that we have a large group of doctors in Neepawa.
Here is what we can do in the short run. The Beautiful Plains Medical Clinic Lottery is on right now and it is the only money that has gone into the clinic renovation and expansions except for the original purchase price. We need to push a little harder as the medical clinic lottery has never sold out. I think this is the year that the medical clinic lottery needs to sell out. As a community, we need to stand up for ourselves. The Town of Neepawa isn’t likely to put more money into the clinic, the RMs aren’t likely to put more money in. The province is broke and so there’s no point in looking there for the money. We, us, the people of the local areas served by the Neepawa medical clinic have the power in our hands to make it happen. Yes, buy a ticket, or two or three. This year’s lottery needs to sell out.
Many people who live along Hwy. 16 and reside a long way from Neepawa have decided to buy tickets as they have told committee members that it is important to them as frequent travelers through here that we have doctors and a hospital with an ER at Neepawa.
Readers familiar with my views will not be surprised when I say a community has to make it’s own future. If we passively wait for governments or corporations to help us out, it may not happen. Over the years we have seen hospitals and schools close, machinery and auto dealers migrate to larger centres, we have seen schools close. Figuring out our own community’s purpose and destiny is the key to success.
In one small (big) way, the Neepawa region can build on strengths and success, let’s sell out the lottery this year and every year going forward. The benefits are immediate and obvious. The alternative to a strong local clinic is to have everyone drive to Brandon or Portage La Prairie or Winnipeg for regular doctor visits and many other medical services. We can look after ourselves folks and we all need to step up to do so.
Ensure future medical viability: Look for the lottery posters and ads, the deadlines are coming up fast. If we band together, we can build on our success and together achieve even greater things. It’s time to dig in folks. The alternatives aren’t good and buying a lottery ticket is a pretty painless way we can help to ensure the medical viability of our town and the region.
