Your Impact
Your donations ensure that the best possible health care will be available when you need to get better.
Donor Impact at the Foundation
We celebrate every donation, every advancement, big or small. It all counts.
Here are some recent stories about what your donations are making possible.
Lab Equipment Helps Run 2.7 Million Tests Per Year!
The staff in Laboratory Services are the unsung heroes of healthcare. In fact, they perform 7,500 tests per day – that's 2.7 MILLION tests per year! These tests help Doctors diagnose patients and give them the very best care.
"Without Laboratory Services, the foundation of the Hospital would crumble." says Dr. Del Paggio, Chief of Oncology, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Our generous donors, event participants, and Thunder Bay 50/50 supporters are funding equipment that the Lab needs to perform these tests. Equipment like a spectrometer, freezers and a fridge, a centrifuge, a new microscope, and more!
Come for a tour of our NEW $2.3M Cath Lab
Today we're happy to share, the new $2.3 million Cardiac Catheterization Lab is now officially in use and our healthcare professionals are saving lives, right here in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Did you know there are over 3,000 procedures completed in our two Cath Labs every year? Before, you would have had to travel to Southern Ontario to receive this lifesaving care. Thanks to your support, we're able to provide exceptional care close to home, for every patient, every time.
"We feel like we're operating with cutting-edge technology." - The New Ophthalmology Microscope
This new microscope, funded by a donation from the Lions Club of Thunder Bay, replaces a 15 year old microscope, which was at end-of-life and was becoming unreliable and difficult to repair.
"In the last 15 years, the optics of microscopes have improved greatly." says Dr. Chris Francis, one of four Ophthalmologists at our Lions Vision Care Centre in the Hospital, "Now our stereoscopic 3D vision of an eye is really enhanced, and it makes surgery somewhat easier and – more importantly – safer, and allows us to do quite challenging cases with more ease."
The new scope also had a built-in computer, which allows the Ophthalmologists to save preferred settings from doctor to doctor, store patient information, and record surgeries to use as a teaching tool.
New "Real-time" X-Ray Unit at our Hospital!
Surgeons will receive a new X-ray machine for the operating rooms that will make surgeries faster and safer for patients, thanks to our donors, event participants, and 50/50 supporters.
It's common for surgeons to ask for an X-ray part way through a procedure to ensure all was going well. In the past, this would add a lot of time to the surgery while having to wait for the X-ray to develop. Not only did this slow down the surgery, it meant the patient had to be under anesthetic longer.
New C-arms will replace aging ones in the Operating Room, allowing for much faster x-ray imaging that in the past.
“I Received World Class Cardiac Care in Thunder Bay” – Paul Carr's Story
“It was during one of my rides, that I initially noticed some pain my chest while going up a hill. Thinking it was just indigestion, I took a small break, and continued to finish my ride,” he said. “A few days later, I went back to do the exact same 50 km ride, and again, I got that same feeling at the exact same spot, but still thinking it wasn't anything concerning, I finished the ride.”
Paul got checked right away and bloodwork determined he had had a heart attack. “I was very, very surprised, as was the doctor who indicated I had no risk factors for heart disease. I was fit, I didn't smoke, and I ate well. I never thought it would be me!” “I can clearly remember thinking ‘I've got lots of life left to live and I still have kids in school'.”
The Thunder Bay 50/50 funds critical cardiac services here at our hospital, so people like Paul can get the healthcare they need close to home.
Why Samantha Frade Supports the Thunder Bay 50/50!
Samantha Frade knows firsthand how crucial it is to have access to exceptional cancer care close to home. During her cancer treatment at our Cancer Centre in January, she had full trust in her healthcare professionals!
"The Thunder Bay 50/50 feels like a fundraiser that anybody can win," Samantha said. "If you have some money in your expendable income and you can buy a ticket, whether it's only one ticket or a group of tickets, that's fantastic for our hospital."
The proceeds from both March and April's Thunder Bay 50/50 draws, totaling over $2 million, will directly support patient care in our Cancer Centre. This includes initiatives such as the Linda Buchan Centre for Breast Screening and Assessment, the Tbaytel Tamarack House, and replacing/maintaining essential equipment needed for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in Northwestern Ontario.
“Words Matter” – Lisa Vescio Shares Her Breast Cancer Story
The words you use matter. That was one of Lisa Vescio's key messages when she spoke at the Tbaytel Luncheon of Hope Thursday afternoon at the Victoria Inn and Conference Centre.
“Many people describe their journeys as a battle or a struggle,” Lisa said. “No, I couldn't do that – that would put my body in a state of constant tension, ready for the battle. I wasn't battling it. I was beating it. So I pushed it all to the end of my breast, and when my breast got cut off, so did all the bad stuff.”
The Thunder Bay 50/50 funds critical cancer care services here at our hospital, so people like Lisa can get the healthcare they need close to home.
New 3T MRI Provides Countless New Imaging Opportunities
Thanks to funding from the Thunder Bay 50/50 Draw, Diagnostic Imaging at our Hospital installed a new 3T MRI unit this summer; and the things it can do are amazing.
Sandra Willson, Manager Diagnostic Imaging, Molecular Imaging, MRI, Ultrasound and Clerical Services at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, said that this advanced technology will open up countless new imaging and treatment options. For the most part, clinicians will drive new innovations using the scanner.
The new unit was funded in part by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation & Thunder Bay 50/50 Draw in September, 2022. That means everyone who bought a ticket in the past year has helped bring this remarkable equipment to patients in Northwestern Ontario.
This new Cyclotron is providing a reliable supply of isotopes for patient care at TBRHSC!
A cyclotron is a machine used to make short-lived radioactive isotopes that can be used for medical imaging to scan clinical oncology patients, as well as for research. These isotopes attach to an injectable sugar substance (radiotracers) and are used to detect the presence and location of cancer cells in the body. A PET (positron emission tomography) scan is used to help diagnose cancer in a way that is effective and safe for the patient.
TBRHSC has been using isotopes for diagnostic imaging since 2008 but prior to producing our own these isotopes were sourced from a vendor in Hamilton, Ontario. Using an out of region vendor often resulted in flight delays or cancellations due to weather or transportation factors, thereby creating a delay in patient care due to scans being canceled.
To read the full story and to learn more about our Hospital's Cyclotron, click here.