The journey from Belleville to Spain has inspired a powerful act of local generosity. Belleville Canadian Tire owners Dennis and Sheila McCullough presented a $10,000 cheque to the Belleville General Hospital Foundation (BGHF) in support of a new tissue processor for Quinte Health’s regional laboratory — a vital diagnostic tool for cancer and other serious diseases.
Dennis McCullough was moved to give after following Kristin Crowe’s inspirational Camino de Santiago trek through northern Spain with local realtors Judi Rufo and Doug Peterson to raise $101,000 for BGHF and the tissue processor.
Crowe, a well-known community leader and philanthropist, is also a cancer survivor. Over 14 years, she has faced breast, lung, and brain cancer.
Her trek with Rufo and Peterson sparked a wave of compassion and giving across the region, raising over $111,000 through more than 260 individual donations.
“We’ve been blown away by the response,” said Rufo, speaking on behalf of the Camino trio. “To not only meet but exceed our original goal has been incredible. It really inspires us to keep going and do more — the hospital certainly needs it, with an equipment backlog of over $12 million in urgently required replacements.”
The McCullough’s’ $10,000 gift was further amplified by a $25,000 matching donation from BGHF Board Chair Wayne Sheppard, who was also on hand for the presentation.
“One of the things that always resonates with me,” Sheppard shared, “is that we are all going to need the services of our hospital one day. That’s why I continue to give.”
“The funds will help bring a new tissue processor to the Belleville General Hospital site,” said Foundation Executive Director Steven Cook. This essential piece of medical equipment plays a critical role in the processing of biopsy samples, helping pathologists diagnose cancers and other life-threatening illnesses quickly and accurately — saving both time and lives.
