The second annual YGK Healthcare Champions Golf Tournament has raised $58,000 in support of a Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) program that helps veterans, military personnel and first responders (police, paramedics, correctional officers, etc…) living with chronic pain and PTS(D) (post-traumatic stress disorder).
The tournament, which took place at the Loyalist Golf & Country Club on August 21, was sold out this year and topped last year’s fundraising total of $40,000.
“I’m so proud considering it’s only our second year,” said YGK Healthcare Champions executive Heather Shortall. “We had so many amazing people show up, and they had a great time. The fact that it’s growing, people are talking about it, and word is spreading about YGK Healthcare Champions is amazing. People see that the money we raise stays directly in Kingston (and southeastern Ontario).”
The YGK Healthcare Champions are a group of community leaders who raise money to support health care in the Kingston area.
Funds raised will support a KHSC pilot program that uses Stellate Ganglion Blocks (SGB) — a novel application of a nerve block treatment — to address both chronic pain and PTS(D) at the same time. Traditionally, these conditions have been treated separately, but many soldiers, veterans and frontline workers experience both, making integrated care critical.
“Chronic pain and PTS(D) clearly have a significant impact within our community,” explained Dr. Scott Duggan, who leads the program at the KHSC Chronic Pain Clinic, located at the Hotel Dieu Hospital site, alongside Dr. Etienne Bisson. “It’s estimated that between 25 and 50 per cent of military members suffer from chronic pain, and up to 18 percent meet the criteria for PTS(D). Many are struggling in silence, and this pilot program gives us an opportunity to do better and provide more effective treatment options.”
The $58,000 raised will help expand the pilot, allowing more participants to access care and strengthening the program’s ability to evaluate outcomes and pursue future research.
“I was really humbled to see how much support and interest there was,” said Dr. Duggan. “It’s so uplifting and empowering as a clinician to know that the community stands behind this work.”
Dr. Bisson added, “The generosity we’ve seen really motivates us to do this project well so the community can benefit.”
Earlier this summer, another YGK Healthcare Champions event – Banding Together, a concert held at the Broom Factory featuring Old Docs New Tricks a band comprised of local doctors – raised over $33,000 in support of the Donation Advisor program at KHSC, an AI based software that helps improve the success rate of organ donation.
The YGK Healthcare Champions are a steadily growing group who invite you to be part of their efforts to cultivate a brighter future for hospitals supported through UHKF. Membership is $20 per month which provides access to networking opportunities, tours, community events, and more all while helping make future fundraisers a success.
To refer patients to the SGB pilot program for PTS(D) and Chronic Pain, , primary care providers are invited to complete the clinic’s referral form and specify this SGB program as the reason for referral.
Currently, the SGB program accepts patients who are active military members or veterans, or active or retired first responders (e.g., firefighters, police officers, correctional officers), living with both PTS(D) and chronic pain.