(L-R) Dr. Rob Johnson and Barney Ellis-Perry decorate Smile Cookies at the Tim Hortons on Bowen Rd. at Westhill Centre on Monday, April 28. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

important fundraiser

Tim Hortons’ Smile Cookie campaign backs Nanaimo hospital

Apr 28, 2025 | 12:40 PM

NANAIMO — All Tim Hortons locations in Nanaimo are united in raising funds for a new specialty imaging camera at NRGH.

With roughly $1 million more required to make the new SPECT/CT camera project valued at $2.9 million a reality, the popular cookie campaign will advance the project between Monday, April 28 and Sunday, May 4.

Dr. Rob Johnson, head of Nanaimo hospital’s radiology department, said having a second SPECT/CT camera will be crucial in helping to diagnose patients with cancer, cardiac and other ailments.

“Technology has advanced such that the cameras are much faster than they were, so we’re hoping that two cameras that are newer and faster will be able to manage the volumes that three cameras used to.”

Dr. Johnson said two existing imaging cameras are beyond their life span and are “on their last legs,” adding their nuclear medicine department is in dire need of reinforcement.

holiday campaign

'Overwhelming number of sober drivers:' Nanaimo RCMP pleased with impaired driving checks

3h ago

increased need

'That's a real concern:' rising B.C. food bank usage resonates in Nanaimo

10h ago

above and beyond

Long-time Qualicum Beach volunteer awarded for lifetime of giving back

Dec 07, 2025

He said the combination of CT (computed tomography) and a nuclear medicine camera allows the two images to be fused together to provide a complete view to treat cancer, cardiac and other acute care patients.

“We can get the high-resolution image to show exactly where the problem is,” Dr. Johnson said.

Last year, a new SPECT/CT camera became operational at NRGH

Dr. Johnson said while they prioritize their urgent nuclear medicine patients, semi-urgent patients, such as those with chronic pain, can have extended wait times.

“It’s the ones that have the longer, lingering health issues that are feeling the problem. Those can be many months waiting for a study to diagnose where their chronic pain is coming from.”

Participating Tim Hortons locations are providing Smile Cookies proceeds to various non-profit causes between April 28 and May 4. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation (NDHF) executive director Barney Ellis-Perry told NanaimoNewsNOW the SPECT/CT camera fundraising effort is anticipated to be concluded this summer, with the device hopefully installed by next winter.

Ellis-Perry said the procurement process has already begun.

He noted that a bulk of the costs will go toward transforming an existing room at NRGH, with about $1.1 million for the new camera machine.

The NDHF hopes $50,000 can be raised through this year’s Smile Cookie campaign locally, while $38,000 was raised last year to benefit the NRGH maternity ward’s operating room.

Donations to the NDHF SPECT/CT camera can be made online here.

Subscribe to our daily news wrap. Local news delivered to your email inbox every evening. Stay up to date on everything Nanaimo and Oceanside.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook