Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau donates $1.5 million to cancer care at the new Montreal Children's Hospital at the Glen

Funding for Oncology Day Centre extends organization's mission to all four Quebec pediatric hospital centres

MONTREAL, Feb. 18, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau announced its $1.5 million commitment over the next three years to fund the Charles-Bruneau Hematology-Oncology Day Treatment Centre at the new site of the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). The Fondation makes its pledge as part of the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation's Best Care for Children campaign.

Currently in its 25^th year as a leader in raising funds and awareness for children's cancers, the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau aims to give all Quebec children with cancer the best chance of recovery by financing research and supporting the development of projects in the area of pediatric oncology. In pledging its support to Hematology-Oncology at the MCH, the organization's work will now reach every child in Quebec being treated for cancer.

"All children with cancer in Quebec share the same dream of being cured," says Pierre Bruneau, Spokesperson of the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau. "To support the development of a brand new, state-of-the-art facility at the Montreal Children's Hospital that will benefit hundreds of young cancer patients is at the heart of our mission. Long-term survival rates for children with cancer have improved significantly in the past couple of decades, and now that we are present in all four university hospitals in Quebec, we'll make an even greater impact on outcomes for children all across the province. We share a common goal with the MCH—to do everything in our power to provide the best clinical care possible."

While a significant number of children and adolescents treated at the MCH come from the Montreal area, approximately 40 percent of patients seen in Hematology-Oncology come from a number of different areas in the province.

The latest design for a healing environment

The Charles-Bruneau Hematology-Oncology Day Treatment Centre at the new MCH will be located on the 7^th floor of Block B and is designed with patient comfort and security in mind. The day centre receives approximately 7,000 patient visits per year, and treatments often involve complex care consisting of chemotherapy and adjuvant drug treatments, blood transfusions, and assessment and treatment of symptoms such as pain, infection and psychological distress. The new facilities will include additional infusion stations and examination rooms, and an impressive procedure room.

"Because of leaders like the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau, our Hematology-Oncology facilities at the Glen site will offer the state-of-the-art care that our young patients and their families rightly deserve," says Dr. David Mitchell, Director of Hematology-Oncology services at the Montreal Children's Hospital. "Our multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals is truly grateful to the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau for its support and is proud that our future day treatment area will bear its name."

Altogether, the Charles-Bruneau Hematology-Oncology Day Treatment Centre will encompass a waiting room and playroom, a triage room, six examination rooms, two treatment rooms, an observation room, a medication room, two documentation rooms and the Oncology satellite pharmacy.

"We are very pleased to welcome the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau as one of our partners in this most important undertaking," says Marie-Josée Gariépy, President of the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation. "At this incredible time in our history, when we are about to embark on a new era for the hospital, their support will allow us to provide the most advanced care and healing environment for our young cancer patients."

The Division of Hematology-Oncology at the MCH was founded in 1947. The division's interdisciplinary team of medical and allied health professionals--from physicians and nurses to nutritionists and art therapists—offers leading diagnostic and comprehensive care to children and adolescents. The division is one of the founding members of the Children's Oncology Group, the world's largest childhood cancer research organization. Among the division's many programs are the Childhood Cancer Program, the Quebec Retinoblastoma Program, the Neurosurgery/Oncology Program, and a transition and long term follow-up clinic. As well, researchers such as Drs. Nada Jabado, Jitka Stankova, and Janusz Rak have been instrumental in shaping some of the key developments in cancer care and research over the past decade making important breakthroughs to improve outcomes and long-term survival for children with cancer.

ABOUT FONDATION CENTRE DE CANCÉROLOGIE CHARLES-BRUNEAU
Founded in 1990, the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau has a mission to finance research and support the development of projects in the area of pediatric oncology. The Fondation believes that the thousands of Quebec children with cancer have the right to receive the best care available, and this care should be available throughout the province. To carry out its new mission, the Fondation is now present in four of Quebec's major university hospitals: the Sainte-Justine UHC, the CHU de Québec, the CHUS and the Montreal Children's Hospital.

ABOUT THE MONTREAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
The Montreal Children's Hospital is the pediatric teaching hospital of McGill University's Faculty of Medicine. The Children's is a leader in providing a broad spectrum of highly specialized care to newborns, children, and adolescents from all across Quebec. The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation supports the Hospital in its mandate and is completing The Best Care for Children Campaign to support the construction of the new Montreal Children's Hospital on the Glen site, scheduled to open its doors to patients in 2015. For more information, please visit childrenfoundation.com

SOURCE: The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation

Kim Fraser
Senior Director of Communications
The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation
1 Place Alexis Nihon, 3400, boul. de Maisonneuve Ouest,
Bureau 1420, Montréal (Québec)  H3Z 3B8
T : 514-934-4846   F : 514-939-3551
Email : [email protected]