Small town, big dreams

Living in a regional town can result in a range of medical gaps, but this small town took matters into their own hands. In a showcase of community and commitment, Swan Hill raised $2.4 million in less than a year for the towns first MRI machine.

Swan Hill is located approximately 350 kilometres north of Melbourne and has a population of 21,000 people, according to the latest census figures. The closest MRI machine is located a two-hour drive away, in Bendigo, forcing Swan Hill locals needing an MRI scan to make the four-hour commute.

Swan Hill local, Paula Starrs was one of the founders of the fundraising campaign.

“Last year I took my son for an MRI in Bendigo and while I was waiting for the results in the doctor’s office, I saw a flyer on the wall. It was a movie night fundraiser for an MRI machine that the hospital were putting on. I googled how much an MRI machine cost and I thought to myself, wow! They are going to need to sell a lot of movie tickets!” Starrs said.

Soon after, Ms Starrs contacted the Swan Hill Hospital for approval to begin a community campaign. “$50,000 came in straight away, then another 50, and it just kept coming. In eight months we raised the money,” Starrs said.

The campaign gained support from a range of corporate organisations, schools, farms and more. “Businesses could see that it was a great thing to be a part of,” she said. The Mallee campaign set up a National Grain registry card, allowing grain farmers to donate a portion of their grain to the MRI Appeal throughout harvest. Whether it were a car wash or school fundraiser, the town found unique ways to share their skills and support the campaign.

Each week, the local newspaper shared a tally of the fundraisers progress, with images and stories from donors. Ms Starrs said the newspaper updates created such momentum as the tally reached closer to the goal.

“I think everyone underestimated what a little town can do,” she said.

The machine is expected to be installed by mid 2026, however Starrs told DScribe that the town is not concerned about the timeframe, rather they are celebrating the great achievement.

“Now everyone can pat themselves on the back because they did it, we all did it,” she said.