Less radiation. More clarity. Stronger hope.
You can bring the next generation of CT imaging to McMaster Children’s Hospital
Every once in a while, a revolutionary new technology comes along that can change the future of health care delivery and transform lives. The next generation of CT imaging, Alpha Photon-Counting Computed Tomography (PCCT), is one of those technologies. It delivers up to 80% less radiation, faster scans, less sedation needed, and sharper images for accurate diagnoses.
Imagine a child – nervous, small, brave – about to undergo a scan that will determine the course of their care. Now imagine that scan is quicker, clearer, and gentler than anything available today. That’s the future you can help build.
Make a Difference Today
Your kindness and commitment will make McMaster Children’s Hospital one of the first children’s hospitals in Canada to offer the Alpha PCCT technology.
For children and families facing some of life’s hardest moments, it means access to clear insights, informed care, and hope grounded in something real. Your generosity will be the reason this happens.
Less radiation. More clarity. Stronger hope.
Donate nowGive children the advanced imaging they need to face cancer, heart conditions, and other complex illnesses. McMaster Children’s Hospital depends on CT scans, but as demand continues to grow, the hospital’s current scanner is aging and being pushed to the limit. With your support, next generation CT imaging will be brought to more children, more quickly, with clearer answers, and less radiation exposure throughout their specialist care.
Families gain safer tests, clear results, and greater confidence.
Alpha PCCT Scanner
An Alpha PCCT Scanner represents one of the most significant advancements in CT imaging in decades. It was the first photon-counting CT scanner available globally and is rapidly becoming the gold standard in leading medical centres.
Unlike traditional CT scanners that measure total energy from large numbers of photons, photon-counting CT technology registers the interaction of individual photons. This fundamental shift in imaging allows clinicians to capture data with far greater precision while significantly reducing radiation exposure.
• 40% radiation reduction (up to 80% in some cases)
• Faster scans, less sedation needed
• Sharper images for accurate diagnoses
By delivering clearer, more precise diagnostic images, this advanced technology will improve the detection and monitoring of pediatric cancers and enhance imaging for both pediatric and adult patients. These improvements will help clinicians diagnose conditions earlier and monitor treatment more effectively.
Each year, this scanner will serve thousands of patients from across the region reinforcing Hamilton Health Sciences role as a leader in advanced diagnoses and compassionate care.
“I cannot emphasize enough how this will totally revolutionize how we provide CT services to children in our region. This will truly be transformative for the pediatric oncology patients at McMaster Children’s Hospital.”
Dr. John Donnellan | Chief of Diagnostic Imaging, HHS
Bennett and his mom Katelyn
For Kids Like Bennett
Eleven days before his sixth birthday, Bennett arrived at McMaster Children’s Hospital with what seemed like flu-like symptoms. A physical exam and diagnostic scans revealed the unsettling truth: a baseball-sized tumour growing from one of his ribs. He was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer.
What followed was a journey of extraordinary courage: 14 rounds of chemotherapy, 32 days of radiation, surgery, and countless difficult procedures. Through it all, Bennett faced every challenge with what his parents Scott and Katelyn describe as “relentless natural optimism.”
For children like Bennett, precision and speed in diagnostic imaging aren’t technical details, they are life-changing. The Alpha PCCT Scanner would mean significantly lower radiation exposure for pediatric cancer patients who require repeated scans throughout their treatment, reducing long-term risk of secondary cancers. It would detect lesions earlier, deliver more accurate diagnoses, and in many cases, eliminate the need for general anesthesia during imaging.
Today, Bennett is nine-years-old, in remission and thriving. His story is a reminder of what is at stake in every scan.
Donate now“I am incredibly proud to support fundraising for the Alpha PCCT Scanner. This project is especially meaningful to my family as it represents an opportunity to make a transformative difference for pediatric oncology patients.”
Scott Murray | Bennett’s dad and Regional Director, Central, East & Northern Ontario, Atlantic Canada, RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
GIVE NOW
Together, we are raising $3 million to bring this advanced Alpha PCCT technology to McMaster Children’s Hospital. Every gift advances safer imaging and world-class care for MacKids.
Your donation will make a profound impact in the lives of patients and families across the region. This is your chance to make an immediate online donation or reach out to our team to learn how you can make a difference.
Donate now
McMaster Children’s Hospital is ranked as one of the best in the world
Hamilton Health Sciences serves a quickly growing region of three million people with family-centered pediatric expertise in cancer, child and adult cardiac care, neurosurgery, and more.
Fast facts:
• Canada’s largest and most advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Treats more than 80,000 pediatric patients every year from across the region
• One of Canada’s largest pediatric teaching hospitals
• Only regional pediatric trauma centre