One million dollar gift to The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation launches vision for surgical robotics program

Surgical robot will be a first for Halton-Peel region

MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Two Mississauga philanthropists are together giving $1 million to The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation to establish a surgical robotics program in support of a collaboration between The Carlo Fidani Peel Regional Cancer Centre at Credit Valley and The Credit Valley Hospital and Trillium Health Centre.

With their combined gift, Robert and Sheila Taberner and Marie José Overweel officially launch a $6 million fundraising initiative with The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation to make the vision of robotics a reality for this community.

"Our outstanding community has a long tradition of stepping up and responding to the needs and opportunities of this hospital. This is another example of individuals coming forward to provide a gift so that others may benefit," says Kathy Hay, president and CEO of The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation. "It is a gift that further solidifies Credit Valley's place at the forefront of patient care and we thank Rob, Sheila and Marie José wholeheartedly for their selfless generosity."

"Six years ago, when diagnosed with prostate cancer, I chose to have robotic surgery done in the United States because at the time robotics was virtually unheard of and nonexistent in Canada, although used extensively in the U.S.," explains Robert Taberner.

"I was released from hospital 24 hours after my prostatectomy and on my feet within days," he adds. "I was fully recovered within two months, which is months earlier than if I'd had traditional open surgery.  I knew then this was something our community needed to have and if I could be any part of making it happen, I would. Today, our gift is very much a family gift given to our community, so that everyone can have access to this type of surgery right here, close to home and their families."

Working at a console with robot-assisted tools that completely mimic the surgeon's movements, robotic surgery allows for unparalleled precision, dexterity and control to perform complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach.

"Because of the precision of robotics and its ability to perform surgery through much smaller incisions, benefits to patients include far less blood loss, lower risk of complications, minimal scarring, less pain and a much shorter hospital stay," explains Dr. Thomas Short, chief of surgery, The Credit Valley Hospital site. "It raises the bar on overall patient outcomes and experiences significantly."

Robotics has been used successfully worldwide in hundreds of thousands of procedures to date and raises the standard of care for complex surgeries.

"Bringing a robotics program to our hospital, and working in collaboration with The Carlo Fidani Peel Regional Cancer Centre, means a robust cancer care program for patients in Halton-Peel," says Dr. Short. "More complex cancers can be operated on in a minimally invasive manner.  It also means patients will have a comprehensive, collaborative, state-of-the-art cancer centre providing the full spectrum of care available at the highest levels: surgical, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Furthermore, at this hospital, we have a critical mass of gynecologic and prostate cancer cases, which are two significant areas in which there is a proven clinical advantage to using robotics. In fact, the Credit Valley Hospital site is one of only three hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area that specializes in gynecologic cancer surgery, and robotics will clearly be an integral tool moving forward."

The Credit Valley site of the newly merged The Credit Valley Hospital and Trillium Health Centre will soon embark on its third phase of expansion, doubling the sizes of the Emergency Department, Critical Care Unit and the Surgical Department. Five state-of-the-art operating suites will be added, with robotics now playing a role.

About The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation and The Credit Valley Hospital site:

With more than 25 years of partnership with our community, The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation plays a crucial role in the advancement of health care for over one million people in Mississauga and the surrounding regions. Second only to the provincial government, the Foundation is the largest funder of The Credit Valley Hospital site - a regional leader in specialized programs for clinical genetics, renal, maternal-child care and oncology and houses the largest paediatric oncology satellite program in Ontario outside of the Sick Kids Hospital.

Credit Valley is part of the newly-merged The Credit Valley Hospital and Trillium Health Centre serving Mississauga, West Toronto and the surrounding communities. It is one of Ontario's largest community-based academic health networks and has a teaching affiliation with the Mississauga Academy of Medicine at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

Images available upon request.

Note to Editors: an electronic media kit is available online, with images, at www.cvhfoundation.ca/robotics. Images will be continually added.

Media Contact:
Cathy Carter
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation
Office: 905-813-1100, ext. 6644
[email protected]