Message from Kyle Shaen
Published Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
I’m proud to tout Thunder Bay’s healthcare successes. We all should be. We live in one of the most remote, isolated regions in the Western world. But we don’t let that fact prevent us from getting world-class care right here when we need it.
In the case of urology, we are building one of the best programs in Ontario. In fact, patients from across Canada are coming here for certain procedures. That’s thanks to several stars aligning.
Outstanding urologists
Dr. Hazem Elmansy and Dr. Walid Shahrour are world-renowned urologists. Dr. Elmansy is known for his kidney stone work and prostate surgery techniques, particularly using the Lumenis MOSES laser (please see below). Dr. Shahrour pioneered a new surgical technique right here in Thunder Bay for men suffering from prostate cancer surgery side-effects. It’s a technique that he’s now bringing to the world.
Equipment
Thunder Bay is receiving two new pieces of equipment including the Lumenis MOSES laser. This advanced and versatile tool treats BPH (enlarged prostate) and kidney stones. In both cases, the laser makes for faster, safer, less painful surgeries with shorter operating time, recovery, and hospital stays. We also purchased a Shockpulse-SE for large kidney stones, a vast improvement over our current equipment.
Our generous donors
We literally could not do it without you. I am repeatedly humbled by the giving nature of our community. Even during tough times like COVID, Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario continues to rally around our healthcare patients. Your donations and support fund advanced techniques, equipment, and research so that we all have the healthcare we deserve.
Dr. Shahrour said it best: every little bit counts. One of the great things about our region is the power of all of us coming together. If we all give what we can, it will add up quickly.
Another important note about our new equipment: when we finally come out of COVID, our surgeons will be working through a backlog of surgeries. One of the timeliest things about getting this equipment now is, well, time. Both devices reduce operating time tremendously. Not only is that better for each patient, it also means we can do more operations and reduce that backlog faster.
Thank you for helping us bring world-class healthcare including urology to our Hospital. It’s an accomplishment we should all be proud of.
Kyle Shaen