When you’re a complex cardiac patient like Peterborough resident Doug Armstrong, you want to know the physicians treating you have access to the best equipment currently available.

With the completion of state-of-the-art donor-funded upgrades to the cardiac catheterization laboratory’s two suites at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), patients like Armstrong can be assured they are receiving world-class, lifesaving cardiac care.

“The upgrades were made possible through $3.55 million in early investments of the $60 million campaign for PRHC,” says PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway. “Gifts of all levels brought this to fruition.”

The 85-year-old Armstrong, who golfs several times a week in the summer and curls in the winter, is one of many patients who have undergone some of the more than 5,800 cardiac procedures performed at PRHC since the two renovated suites opened in 2022.

“I have to give credit to the cath lab for my longevity and for the condition I’m in,” he says. “I was so impressed knowing the new cath lab came from the community and the Foundation fundraising for it.”

A former decades-long Peterborough County chief of administration and former general manager of what was at the time the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, Armstrong was also a board member for the PRHC Foundation from 1999 to 2007 and is now a governor emeritus.

He couldn’t have known back then that 20 years later, just before the PRHC Foundation was to launch their largest fundraising campaign to date, he would come to rely so much on the lifesaving technology available at the regional hospital.

In 2018, after experiencing a discomfort in his upper chest that kept him up at night, Armstrong finally went to PRHC and he learned he had blockages in his arteries that were stopping blood from flowing to his heart.

He had an angiogram, where an interventional cardiologist assessed the blockages using a dye that goes up the arteries, before undergoing an angioplasty, where the cardiologist placed a stent that widened the arterial passage to keep blood flowing to his heart.

“There’s no aches or pains, and you’re awake throughout,” Armstrong recalls of the minimally invasive procedure. “Within a day I started to feel better, and a few days later I couldn’t believe how good I felt compared to how bad I was feeling the week before.”

Unfortunately, Armstrong became one of the two per cent of cardiac patients who experience plaque building up around the stent. Within eight months, he had to return to PRHC to have another stent put in. He ultimately had a total of three stents put in within two years, before having to undergo a quadruple bypass surgery in Toronto.

“My wife and I just marvel about how well we were treated as a patient at PRHC,” he said. “Everybody was so good to explain stuff to us and make sure we understood what was going on and what was going to happen afterwards.”

When he had his last stent procedure in May 2024, Armstrong noticed the changes that had been made to the cardiac cath lab thanks to early donor investments made to PRHC Foundation’s $60 million Campaign for PRHC.

Between September 2021 and December 2022, the two cath lab suites were upgraded with cutting-edge technology that supports the highest possible definition imagery that allows interventional cardiologists to accurately diagnose coronary blockages to stop a heart attack — sometimes while a heart attack is taking place.

“We have a new system to give higher resolution pictures faster with 75 per cent less radiation exposure to patients and staff,” says PRHC interventional cardiologist and head of cardiology Dr. Warren Ball. “We can take pictures of the arteries, find the blockage and, as accurately as possible, fix it.”

As a rare cardiac patient who needed to get multiple stents, Armstrong expresses how much it meant for him to get that treatment done without having to travel out of the city where he continues to reside.

“When I was in the hospital here at different times, my daughter could drop in for a little while, and then my wife could be there for a bit and then still go home,” he says. “The convenience of it for us who live here can’t be overstated. I don’t think we give the community enough credit for having the kind of healthcare service that’s here.”

Admitting that he also did not seek medical attention as early as he should have, Armstrong says knowing that the latest in cardiac care equipment and technology is available close to home at PRHC means patients like him are less likely to delay seeking lifesaving care.

“Having that care close to home is essential,” adds Dr. Ball. “Thanks to donors, we can bring updated technology here that saves lives and makes less stressful what’s already a terrible situation for patients.”

The PRHC Foundation has now reached 88 per cent of its $60 million goal for the Campaign for PRHC. Fundraising is ongoing and one of the current cardiac care priorities donors can support is the addition of a third cardiac lab, which will introduce minimally invasive electrophysiology technology to assess and diagnose electrical conditions of the heart, such as abnormal heart rhythms and arrhythmia.

“It’s unfortunate the government doesn’t put more money into healthcare and hospital care than they do,” Armstrong notes. “Since they don’t, donating is just about the only way we can modernize the equipment that needs to go there. The community support for the hospital has been nothing short of outstanding in my view.”

The upgraded technology and equipment available at the cath lab also encourages top healthcare professionals to bring their talents and expertise to PRHC — something that is not lost on Armstrong.

“The people who work at the cath lab are world-class,” he says. “I feel confident that if I was to get a more serious problem than I have now, I’d be there in a heartbeat, and I just know that I’d be so well looked after. I just think what they’ve done for me has been just amazing.”

As for Heighway, she is grateful to Armstrong not only for his continued support for world-class healthcare close to home but for his willingness to share his personal healthcare story.

“Doug has been a longtime supporter of the PRHC Foundation and our hospital,” she says. “That commitment and Doug’s experience of receiving great care close to home, especially in both the previous and recently upgraded cardiac cath lab suites, give him a unique perspective on how vital donations are to keeping world-class cardiac care available right here.”

“We really appreciate him sharing his story to help others see that, and celebrate the difference that donors are making in real patients’ lives.”

To learn more about cardiac care at PRHC and to make a donation, visit the PRHC Foundation website at prhcfoundation.ca/what-to-support/areas-of-care/cardiac-care/ or call 705-876-5000.

This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

Outrage from Trent University students and Peterborough residents is growing in response to Mayor Jeff Leal’s use of a racial slur — one the NAACP calls “one of the most offensive words in history” — during a guest lecture at Trent University almost three weeks ago.

Leal was speaking to students of a business administration class on the evening of March 19 when he veered off the topic of managerial skills and began talking about Lyndon B. Johnson, who was U.S. president from 1963 to 1969.

Although the Texas-born Democrat oversaw the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Johnson was also known for regularly using the n-word throughout his political career.

In a recording of Leal’s lecture made by a student and published by Trent University’s independent student newspaper Arthur, the mayor said “Lyndon Johnson was an F.D.R. New Dealer. He came out of the hills of Texas. He used this language that you would never use today, and he talked about poor n*****s and Mexicans that he taught Sunday school to.”

According to a story by Arthur’s Evan Robins, several students spoke to instructor Steven Girardi the week after the lecture to express their discomfort with Leal’s comments. Girardi later emailed an apology to the class and, according to Trent University and the mayor’s office, Leal also later delivered a written apology to the class.

However, members of the public were unaware of the mayor’s comments until Tuesday morning (April 8), when the mayor’s office issued a statement and apology from Leal. The statement did not reference the racial slur used, but Leal claimed that he used a “quote” from Johnson — which the audio recording shows is not the case.

“During a recent guest lecture at Trent University, I quoted a historical remark attributed to former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson from his time as a congressman in the 1930s,” Leal states. “In doing so, the quote that I used included a racial slur that is deeply offensive and hurtful.”

“I sincerely apologize,” Mayor Leal continued. “Regardless of the context or intent, using that word was wrong. I recognize the pain it carries and the responsibility I have to speak with care and respect. I apologize to Trent students and faculty, to Trent University, and to my community.”

“I believe in building a welcoming and inclusive community. I did not contribute to the betterment of my community when I used that quote – when I said those words. I am committed to listening, learning, and doing better.”

Also on Tuesday, Trent University released a statement in response to the incident, again not referencing the racial slur the mayor used.

“The University acknowledges that it is unacceptable to use racist language, regardless of context. We affirm that the University prohibits all forms of discrimination, harassment, racism and hate as per our policies. We apologize for the harm this caused to our students and recognize that words (racial slurs) can have lasting impacts on racialized students.”

“In an effort to ensure that such an occurrence is not repeated, the University will extend our equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-Black racism training to invited speakers. We will confirm that invited speakers are informed of our policies and joint responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment free from all forms of racism and hate.”

On Wednesday, the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) released a statement about the incident, announcing that it has filed a complaint to the Peterborough Integrity Commissioner.

In its statement, the TSCA calls on Trent University to provide assurance the mayor will not be invited back to campus, ensure a BIPOC member of Trent staff conducts DEI and Anti-Black racism training for guest speakers, and guarantee that future guest lecturers are properly screened and their content is reviewed before being presented to students.

The statement also calls on the City of Peterborough to conduct a review from the city’s integrity commissioner on the mayor’s conduct as per council’s code of conduct, mandate all city councillors and city staff to receive anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion training, and review and amend the city’s 2023-2050 strategic plan to include anti-racism and race relations as a strategic priority.

The TCSA also announced it will be hosting a sit-in at City Hall at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 28.

“We invite Trent students and Peterborough community members to join us. We urge Peterborough residents to consider the values of the people representing them. Individuals who spread hate do not deserve to hold political power.”

The TSCA also encouarged “anyone wishing to express their dissent” to contact the mayor’s office at 705-742-7777 ext. 1870 or to email cityptbo@peterborough.ca.

As for the reaction of city councillors to Mayor Leal’s comments, councillor Joy Lachica shared a statement with kawarthaNOW.

“It’s unconscionable that this choice was made,” Lachica said, referring to the mayor’s comments. “I’m sickened that we are here responding to such an inexcusable affront.”

“In my term as an elected representative of the City of Peterborough, I have spoken to and made motions about the need to scaffold the crucial anti-racism and equity work we need to build. This call to equity is reflected in our council and regionally endorsed community safety and well-being plan. I wish to express my deepest sorrow, regret and solidarity to each and every student and community member impacted far and wide.”

City councillor Alex Bierk also provided a statement to kawarthaNOW.

“I have not spoken with the mayor, but I am interested to understand what meaningful action will be taken in response to this incident,” Bierk said. “As a city councillor, I find the mayor’s use of a racial slur inexcusable and deeply harmful — it reflects extremely poor judgment. This language has no place in our city — in any context. I stand with those who have been hurt by this incident and fully support the calls for accountability.”

News about the mayor’s comments is also circulating on social media, with several people calling for Leal’s resignation.

“It’s not just that he said it,” writes one person. “It’s that he didn’t know not to say it.”

This story has been updated to correct the surname of Steven Girardi.