On a winter morning in February 2023, John Collins set out on a routine sledding trip. Minutes later, he was fighting for his life. Thrown from his sled and rushed to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, John arrived at triage where his blood pressure collapsed. His daughter—who works at the hospital—saw him being wheeled past. “She had a scared look on her face,” he recalls.
Scans revealed six broken ribs and internal bleeding from his spleen. The care team acted quickly. John was taken into our interventional radiology (IR) suite, where a skilled team performed a minimally invasive embolization—threading a tiny catheter to the source of the bleed and stopping it. He recalls the atmosphere in the room: compassionate, calm, highly skilled. Nurses kept him warm. The team spoke to him kindly. The intervention was successful.
The procedure left John with only a small incision in his groin and, surprisingly, no pain from the procedure itself—an outcome that avoided a large incision, dressing changes, and the risk of infection associated with open surgery. For his family, it brought relief. For John, it meant an easier and quicker return to the life he loves.
What helped save John was the right people and the right technology working together at the right time. A hybrid operating room builds on that strength by combining real-time imaging and surgical capabilities in one space, so teams can diagnose, treat, and confirm success without moving a patient. This results in fewer delays, safer procedures, and better outcomes for people across Fredericton and the Upper River Valley. It also helps attract and retain the physicians and surgical specialists our region needs.
“You never expect to become a trauma patient,” John says. “It might be you someday—or someone you love. Making a donation truly matters.”
John says the one word his experience gave back to him is faith—faith in the people who cared for him, and faith that our community will come together to ensure the next patient gets the same opportunity. Your gift to the Hybrid OR campaign is an investment in that future: faster care, fewer complications, and more stories that end in relief and gratitude.
