“We believe in taking care of our own,” said Marc Bissonnette, reflecting on the $25,000 donation he and his wife, Lana Goodman, pledged over five years to the Beyond The Scan campaign.
Marc, who grew up in Keewatin, has a deep connection to the Lake of the Woods area and the community that calls it home. “There’s something special about this place,” he said, fondly recalling summer days filled with impromptu dock visits that stretch into shared meals and late nights.
Like many families in the region, Marc and Lana, along with their two children, Luc and Leah, enjoy the outdoors year-round—skiing, snowmobiling, fishing, and soaking up lake life. But they’ve also experienced the challenges of living in a remote area, particularly when it comes to accessing medical imaging like MRIs.
“You can’t just squeeze it into your day,” Marc said. “Travelling to Winnipeg or Thunder Bay for scans means hours on the road, often through tough weather. And that’s if you’re well enough to travel in the first place.”
He also supported his father through a similar journey, travelling for cancer care near the end of his life. “It adds stress to an already difficult time,” he shared.
Recognizing how important the Hospital was in caring for both his parents, Marc joined the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation about 10 years ago. Fast forward to 2024, and the prospect of bringing an MRI to Kenora, and Marc excitedly offered to be part of the Beyond The Scan Campaign Cabinet to raise funds to equip a Diagnostic Imaging Centre of Excellence at the Hospital. “Knowing how much this would mean and the value to our community to have this (the MRI) – it was a no brainer – it was, ‘how can I help?.”
LWDH Foundation’s Executive Director, Mira Trebilcock, was delighted to welcome Marc to the Campaign Cabinet. “Marc’s extensive experience with the Foundation Board and his entrepreneurial role in the community are an asset. His passion runs deep, and his connectedness, both locally and regionally are so important.”
Marc and Lana hope to inspire others to consider giving what they can. “It’s not about matching other donor amounts — it’s about doing what’s possible for you, especially with matching donations doubling the impact.”
“We’re a strong, connected community. If we come together and support this project, we’ll all benefit—and we’ll know we did it ourselves.”
*The FDC Foundation is matching all donations made to the Beyond The Scan Campaign, dollar-for-dollar from February 12 – April 30, 2025 up to a maximum of $2M.