Better Care for Breast Cancer Patients

Your support provides outstanding care for cancer patients like Kathy

Kathy thought she was prepared when she went for her mammogram and ultrasound at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH). She knew the lump in her breast might be cancer.

Still, the radiologist’s words, confirming Kathy’s fears, were a shock. “I was scared,” she admits. “My father passed away from cancer at a young age. He didn’t get the chance to see his grandchildren grow up. I didn’t want that to happen to me.”

Kathy received a biopsy and expedited MRI at OTMH the same day. She also met with a patient navigator who set up an appointment with a general surgeon. “I went home with a plan,” she says. “It was comforting to know what was going to happen next.”

Two weeks later, 56-year-old Kathy met with her surgeon and a patient navigator. “He took the time to answer all my questions,” Kathy says. “The whole process moved very quickly and efficiently which is so important when it’s cancer.”

Kathy is absolutely right! That’s why OTMH is committed to purchasing the latest equipment and technology to benefit cancer patients. Together with your leadership, we give people like Kathy every chance to receive the lifesaving care they need close to home.

The Scout Radar Localizor is like a GPS for abnormal tissue in the breast. It precisely targets the tumour, using a small 1cm reflector which is implanted into the breast. Surgeons then use a hand-held device that emits a tiny radar signal to find the reflector.

For patients, like Kathy, who need a lumpectomy, Scout Radar Localizor is a game-changer, making the experience much more comfortable.

With this technology, patients don’t have to wait until the day of surgery to have the reflector inserted. It can be implanted any time before surgery including at the time of the patient’s biopsy appointment. This allows for less appointments for the patient and further expedited care.

Your support funds state-of-the-art equipment and technology but it also does much more to improve the patient experience for patients like Kathy.

Thanks to donors like you, breast cancer patients can access our innovative Breast Diagnostic Assessment Program (BDAP). Through the BDAP, patients like Kathy are guided through the entire process – from diagnosis to treatment to recovery – by a patient navigator who links all specialties together and makes the system function quickly for them.

BDAP, which is entirely funded by donations, is one more way you help us invest in better cancer care for patients in our community.

After her lumpectomy, Kathy opted to have a double mastectomy. As a plastic surgeon, I was with her in the operating room that day, assisting with her immediate breast reconstruction.

Today, Kathy is doing great. She’s enjoying every minute watching her three grandchildren grow up. “I can’t put into words how grateful I am,” she says.

Kathy is also back at work as an MRI technologist here at OTMH. Long before her own diagnosis, Kathy was making an impact on the lives of breast cancer patients.

“I’ve always been empathetic but now I can personally relate to what patients are going through,” says Kathy. “I’m happy they’re receiving quality cancer care at OTMH. I know firsthand, they’re in the best possible hands.”

Your support as one of our donors is the reason we can offer world-class care and treatment to hundreds of breast cancer patients who turn to us each year. It’s the reason we can buy and maintain technology, often only available in the larger hospitals.

And today, your gift will help us fund the vital equipment patients like Kathy rely on. It will ensure we always have what it takes to save lives right here.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lauren Willoughby
Plastic Surgeon
Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital