A new name and a very large donation for an organization providing health screenings and other services in rural Saskatchewan.

The Centre for Agricultural Medicine was first established at the University of Saskatchewan in 1986, with a special focus on agricultural environmental exposures and lung health. It is now known as the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRHA), with the word “Rural” being added in June.

The CCRHA held an open house on September 26th where  there was an announcement of a $1.5 million donation. The money will be used to develop a mobile unit to continue work in rural areas performed by the Agricultural Health and Safety Network, which is part of the CCRHA.

More information is in this news release and you can listen an interview recorded by CJWW Agriculture Director Neil Billinger. His guests are CCRHA director Dr. Shelley Kirychuk (PhD) and Kendra Ulmer, manager of the Agriculture and Health Safety Network.

The interview begins with Dr. Kirychuk explaining how the $1.5 million donation came about.