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Reflections FALL 2017
Second operating room huge benefit to expectant moms With a community that’s busily growing, the number of babies born at Surrey Memorial Hospital is also on the rise. Our teams in the Family Birthing Unit (FBU) now deliver more than 4,500 precious babies each year. In fact, they’ve even broken new records this year for the most babies ever delivered in one month – 395 in January and 410 in July! With all this activity at B.C.’s second busiest maternity unit, this past spring was the perfect time to open a second dedicated operating room in the FBU for Caesarean sections. The new OR is already creating faster access for women experiencing complications of labour, or those who need a planned Caesarean section because of their own health or concerns about the baby’s. Today, new moms can feel even more confident and secure in having the best quality of care at one of the most important times of their lives. At the same time, our medical teams take great pride in this new state-of-the-art OR.
“The Family Birthing Unit has undergone massive positive changes over the last five years,” says Dr. Darren Lazare, head of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “With the new operating space, we’ve been able to add a second oncall obstetrician, a 24/7 anesthesiologist and seven new obstetric gynecologists – all leaders in the field.” The benefits are immense, he explains. As well as rapid access to Caesarean sections or epidural pain control for women giving birth, the changes have made it possible to increase gynecological surgery at Surrey Memorial Hospital by 50 per cent. Your donor dollars have gone a long way towards expanding services – thanks to you we feel pride that our community is so well served in the maternity centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
Kids look to the sky during cancer treatment Cancer treatment doesn’t have to be scary. Now, thanks to Ashok Memorial Foundation, children coming to Surrey Memorial Hospital for chemotherapy and other cancer treatment have a chance to connect with nature through virtual windows. Our Pediatric Oncology Unit treats children as young as two years old. The Oncology Unit is a three-bed unit within an enclosed room to ensure infection control. There are no windows letting in natural light or providing a view of nature. When younger children come for treatment, the surroundings can be intimidating, and the procedures can be frightening. Thanks to donors in the community, beautiful sky tiles have been installed in the ceiling over each bed. These backlit images of nature help relax and calm frightened
Family legacy brings comfort to Surrey patients Hari Singh Manhas was a prudent man who always looked ahead and planned carefully before he acted. This applied to many aspects of his life, whether he was anticipating the long-term needs of his family, investing his money, or deciding if a charitable cause was worthy of his support. This thoughtful approach enabled Mr. Manhas and his wife, Mohinder Kaur Manhas, to leave a legacy that will benefit patients in Surrey and students in India. Son Kuldip Manhas explains that when it came to charitable support, his father always did his homework. “My dad never gave money foolishly – he liked to check things out before he invested.”
children, resulting in less stress for the child and their family, and a more positive overall experience. Recent studies show that photographic sky images can lower stress level by up to 50 per cent. Now, our youngest cancer patients have a view of the world that instills a sense of peace, happiness and hope.
Hari Manhas spent much of his working life employed in the forestry industry in Port Alberni. During trips home to India, he often financed projects to improve conditions in his village. After retirement, he began to support a school that provided children with education from kindergarten to university and he also made provisions to contribute after his death. In Surrey, the couple’s generosity will live on through a $200,000 investment that made it possible for Surrey Hospital & Outpatient Centre Foundation to establish the new Hari Singh & Mohinder Kaur Manhas Patient Comfort Fund. Kuldip Manhas was deeply committed to carrying out his parents’ wishes: “My father worked hard and made sacrifices. We know that this donation is going to be used for a good cause, and many people will benefit.” The fund was inspired by the need for a special lift called the Sara Stedy, which Mrs. Manhas used during a stay on the orthopedic ward at the hospital. As there was only one lift per floor, she often had to wait. After Mrs. Manhas passed away, the family donated the lift that they had purchased for her use at home. The lift was muchappreciated by the grateful hospital staff, and her family saw how their donation had made such a significant impact on patient care.
Equipment funded thanks to you… Thoracic Surgery Super Dimension Bronchoscopy System
A high-tech image-guided system to reach deep into the lungs to diagnose lung cancer
NICU Bili-blanket
A special phototherapy blanket to treat severe jaundice in newborn and premature babies. More needed!
Neurology (JPOCSC) Autonomic Lab
This exciting and unique test determines how the autonomic nervous system is functioning and can help diagnose the presence of autonomic disease, such as fainting, heart rate abnormalities, sweating abnormalities, and digestive issues.
Orthopedic Surgery Limb Positioner
Holds the arm or leg in the correct position for shoulder surgery or knee surgery means improved outcomes for the patient.
NICU Giraffe Blue Spot PT Lite Phototherapy System
This special light offers high intensity phototherapy for effective treatment of hyperbilirubinemia in pre-mature babies.
Palliative Care Private Rooms
Audiology Video Head Impulse Test equipment Thanks to Partners In Health Care
For dizziness or balance issues caused by inner ear, the ICS Impulse makes it possible to diagnose disorders by measuring eye movement.
Two large, modern and comfortable rooms have been renovated and refurbished so that family members have room to gather and spend time at the bedside of their loved ones.
Brain research at Surrey’s Neuro Tech Lab A $10,000 research grant funded by your contributions is being used in a study titled “Physical health, brain health, and the risk of dementia”. Dr. Xiaowei Song is a Clinical Neuro-imaging Scientist working at Surrey Memorial Hospital’s Neuro Tech Laboratory. Her research is looking at data from MRI scans of the brain to find many small changes that can happen as people age. Small changes don’t mean much, but added together, they may be a sign there is a risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. By looking at this data for specific patterns, we can learn new tools for the diagnosis and intervention of brain aging.
“It is increasingly recognized that late-life dementia can result from brain health decline. The brain is complex; high-level functions such as memory and thinking rely on important parts of the brain working together,” says Dr. Song. “My research has led to a new method, called Brain Atrophy and Lesion Index (BALI) to allow us to sum up many changes and track brain aging in a holistic manner.” Thanks to you, advances in brain health are being developed that could one day help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. Every dollar makes a difference.
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Surrey Hospitals – Here for You
13750 – 96th Ave. Surrey, B.C. V3V 1Z2
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www.championsforcare.com
info@championsforcare.com