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Regional cancer program receives $750,000 donation from BMO Financial Group
"We're just thrilled at BMO Financial Group's generosity," said Neila Poscente, president and CEO of the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation. "We feel a very strong connection with BMO, who has a very strong commitment to support communities and they've been recognized as a leader in corporate responsibility. Last year they gave away $42.6 million in corporate donations, sponsorships and events, which means they are a very generous corporation and we're very lucky to have their support." BMO serves customers through five locations in Newmarket and surrounding communities. The regional cancer program, which is scheduled to open in mid-2009, will provide a full range of cancer services including screening, assessment, surgery, chemotherapy, psychosocial and palliative care, clinical trials, as well as, for the first time in York Region, radiation treatment. The spectrum of care will be a benefit for cancer patients, who currently receive some services at their community hospital, but also have to travel regularly to Toronto hospitals for other life-saving treatments, such as radiation therapy. "It's a chance to make a difference in the community and the money we're raising allows us to really transform how health care's delivered to York Region," said Jonathan Harris, chair of the Southlake Foundation board and a King City resident. "We can't continue to rely on hospitals in Toronto to provide the care we want closer to home, so we have to raise money in the community to build. The regional cancer program is an exciting project. If you knew where the Newmarket hospital system was 15 years ago and with our five big programs we got going, this health care system is really becoming a gem for our community and the region deserves it." Southlake is 18 months into its $60 million fund-raising campaign and they are confident they will reach their goal as they build one of the top cancer programs in Canada. "One of the most exciting aspects of our regional cancer program is that it is being developed in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), one of the top five cancer research hospitals in the world," said Dan Carriere, president and CEO of Southlake. "New discoveries and innovative cancer therapies that are changing cancer care for patients around the world, are happening at Princess Margaret. For Southlake patients, our partnership will mean access to the newest discoveries the moment they become available." In addition to the mentorship of PMH, Southlake cancer patients can have the confidence that they will benefit from the latest in medical technology including image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which is considered the gold standard in radiation treatment. IGRT targets the tumour while protecting healthy tissue and from digital mammography, which can detect 28 per cent more cancers than traditional film mammography. "BMO's gift builds on our long-standing partnership with Southlake, dating back more than 75 years and is another way for us to support the communities where we live and work," said Alexandra Dousmanis- Curtis, senior vice-president of the Greater Toronto Area Division of BMO Bank of Montreal. "I am particularly proud of the support our employees have provided to the hospital, donating more than $100,000 over the past few years through the BMO Employee Charitable Foundation." Southlake's regional cancer program will be prepared to accommodate 100,000 patient visits for cancer care by 2012, a sixfold increase from current visits, which means expanded surgical suites and inpatient cancer units for patients requiring surgery and hospital admission. Also this means a redevelopment of the existing laboratory to accommodate the anticipated 89 per cent increase of testing and advanced testing technologies required for the complexities that characterize many cancers. |
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