Help our hospital detect cancer early

This spring, the Victoria Hospitals Foundation needs your help to raise funds for a new Mammography and Stereotactic Biopsy machine that helps medical teams diagnose breast cancer as quickly and accurately as possible.

This advanced new equipment costs $420,000. Together, every generous donation will add up to ensure that we have this essential equipment available for our community.

Victoria General Hospital is home to the South Island Breast Imaging Program – a provincial leader and Centre of Excellence in Breast Imaging. Performing more than 25,000 imaging procedures every year,  it is the central hub and only full-service diagnostic breast imaging department for the entire South Island.

For our patients and medical teams, time is of the essence when diagnosing cancer. The Mammography and Stereotactic Biopsy machine combines two essential diagnostic procedures in one exam: a digital mammogram and a minimally invasive biopsy. First the machine takes a digital image to pinpoint the mass and at the same time, a needle is inserted for a biopsy to confirm diagnosis.

This state-of-the-art equipment:

  • contributes to better patient outcomes through early cancer detection
  • provides a complete diagnosis sooner, relieving anxiety for patients and their families
  • reduces diagnostic wait times for all patients
  • improves patient care by saving some women from unnecessary hospitalization and surgery by using the minimally invasive biopsy tool

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in British Columbia. One in eight women will experience this life-changing diagnosis in their lifetime, many in their senior years. The adaptable technology of the machine will support important advances in breast imaging and cancer diagnosis in our community for years to come, improving outcomes for thousands of women and their families.

You can read about one patient, Christine Bowles, who beat cancer twice with the help of doctors at Victoria General Hospital’s Breast Imaging Centre.

I have seen the difference that donations make in every area of care in our hospital. Please give today so that we can do our best work for women across Vancouver Island.

 

 – Dr. Brent Lee, Radiologist and Clinical Section Head, Breast Imaging Program, Victoria General Hospital

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