Newswise — (Toronto: February 15, 2012) The $25 million campaign to create and establish The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre at Princess Margaret Hospital concluded with an exclamation point when the final $1.4 million required was donated by Allan, Gary and Donna Slaight as a Christmas gift to Emmanuelle Gattuso, Allan’s wife.
In 2006, Dr. David McCready, a surgical oncologist and head of the breast cancer program at The Princess Margaret, initiated a pilot program of rapid diagnosis that would substantially reduce wait-times and the stress involved for patients for whom breast cancer was suspected. Between diagnostic tests, results and a treatment plan, patients were typically waiting from five to eight weeks for their diagnosis. Dr. McCready’s pilot program reduced the wait to one day. Now, patients referred by their family physician receive a physical exam, mammogram, ultrasound and tissue biopsy (if needed), and then receive the results. If the patient has a diagnosis of breast cancer, a treatment plan is devised and given to the patient and referral can then be made to breast surgeons, either at The Princess Margaret or closer to their homes.
The pilot program was initiated with funding provided by The Weekend To End Breast Cancer (since renamed The Shoppers Drug Mart Weekend To End Women’s Cancers). The program showed such promise that Dr. McCready’s vision was expanded through the generosity of philanthropists Emmanuelle Gattuso, Allan Slaight and Gary Slaight. In May 2009, The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre was realized. The Gattuso and Slaight families made the lead donation of $12.5 million in support of the $25 million expansion campaign. They also offered a plan that saw them match further donations dollar for dollar. The final donation was made in the form of a Christmas gift, given to Emmanuelle by Allan, Gary and Donna Slaight on Christmas Eve 2011.
Besides the very generous donations made by the Gattuso and Slaight families, sizeable gifts were received from the RBC Foundation and more than 4,500 committed donors who contributed to completing the $25 million campaign for The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre.
Since its inception, 1,961 patients have been through The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre. Of those patients, 48% received a diagnosis of breast cancer. The centre operates four days per week, and will expand to five days by May 2012. Also included in the expansion has been the renovation of the breast imaging area, creating a home for three new digital mammography machines with tomosynthesis, the latest in breast imaging technology.
As more and more cancer centres adopt the one-day diagnosis of breast cancer, the value of The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre has expanded and the centre is now looking at rapid diagnostic programs for lung and pancreatic cancers at The Princess Margaret.
“Our vision of transforming patient care is becoming a reality in the Princess Margaret Cancer Program at University Health Network,” said Dr. Robert Bell, President and CEO. “What began as a small pilot study in our breast cancer program a few years ago has evolved into standard clinical practice for many women needing rapid diagnosis and treatment planning. We are proud of this model of care, which we are now beginning to implement in other types of cancer. It is our vision of the future of cancer care, and our goal is to be able to help every patient in this way within the next five years. This is what personalizing medicine is all about -- timely diagnosis and tailoring specific treatments to individuals.”
“The philanthropy exhibited by Emmanuelle Gattuso, Allan, Gary and Donna Slaight is changing the face of healthcare,” stated Dr. David McCready. “Because of their generosity, we are now able to provide a new model of diagnosis for women and men.”
“Allan, Gary, Donna and I are so proud to have been able to help turn a brilliant idea into something that is helping change the lives of a great number of patients diagnosed with breast cancer,” commented Emmanuelle Gattuso, a breast cancer survivor herself. “I cried tears of joy when Allan and Gary gave me the $1.4 million cheque for The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre campaign. There is nothing we would love more than to have rapid diagnosis become the standard of care for all cancers.”
For more information about The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre, visit www.onedaypmh.ca
For further information, contact:Kevin Shea, Associate Director, Public Relations Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation416-946-2898; [email protected]
About Princess Margaret HospitalPrincess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, have achieved an international reputation as global leaders in the fight against cancer and delivering personalized cancer medicine. Princess Margaret Hospital, one of the top five cancer research centres in the world, is a member of the University Health Network, which also includes Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. All are research hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto. More information about UHN can be found at www.uhn.ca.
About The Princess Margaret Hospital FoundationThe Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation at University Health Network raises funds for personalized cancer medicine at Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, which now includes The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute and The Campbell Family Breast Cancer Research Institute. More information about The Foundation can be found at www.pmhf.ca.
RSS