Local Car Dealership Thinks Digital For Cancer Patients’ Needs

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Strickland’s Auto staff members pose with donated tablets (marketing manager Tyler Jantzi, Windsor store manager Chris Parent, finance director Brenda Bannon and Windsor store’s Scott Pickering)

Strickland’s Auto Group is making patients’ time at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre a bit more enjoyable with a donation of tablets.

Cancer Centre President Houida Kassem said the donation will really help patients by letting them read and play games while undergoing treatment at the Centre.

“We always strive to do whatever we can around a community that supports us,” said manager of Strickland’s Windsor location, Chris Parent. “We give back everywhere we can, because there’s just so many people in need.”

Strickland’s has a history with supporting cancer patients and with getting a ceremonial “treatment completed” gong into London Ontario’s cancer centre.

“When somebody buys a vehicle [at Strickland’s], they actually celebrate by ringing a gong,” said company finance director Brenda Bannon.

“A number of years ago we had a customer who rang our gong at the store, and this customer’s sister was receiving treatment at the London Cancer Centre. They had a little gong there at the time, and she said it would be great if she could have rang a gong our size — 22 inches.”

In 2012, Bannon and Strickland’s donated a larger gong to the London centre. Months later, Bannon was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I actually got to ring that gong, so I know what it feels like and to celebrate the completion of treatment,” she said.

While the Windsor Cancer Centre already has gongs for patients to celebrate the end of their treatment, Strickland’s sought to focus on patient experience, and tablets were the answer.

“Hospitals aren’t allowed to have magazines in their cancer centres because of germs,” said Parent. “They can’t be cleaned properly, so that’s why we came up with this idea with tablets to give patients something to do when they have to be here for hours on end, and it keeps them going.”

Strickland’s handed over three ASUS Memo Pad 8’s which the cancer centre plans to make great use of.

Owner John Strickland, Windsor store manager Chris Parent, finance director Brenda Bannon and Scott Pickering

Windsor store manager Chris Parent

Finance director Brenda Bannon speaks about the importance of cancer patients ringing ceremonial gongs