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A mother’s heartfelt legacy in memory of her son Bev Ruttan knows better than most the high cost of untreated mental illness. Eight years ago she unexpectedly lost her 39-year-old son, Lee Daniel Champion. When she heard about the new Child & Adolescent Short Stay Psychiatric Unit (CAPSU) planned for Surrey Memorial Hospital, the statistics caught her attention. A full 70% of lifetime mental illness starts by the age of 18. And suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people. Bev recalled Lee’s struggle and wondered if his life wouldn’t have been cut short if he’d received help for his depression at a younger age. Bev has since decided to remember Surrey Hospital & Outpatient Centre Foundation in her Will to support children’s mental health programs. Her caring legacy will also be Lee’s legacy.
“If I can help even one other child and their family, I know it will be worth it. Lee always loved children. This gift, which is really Lee’s gift, is a tribute to a wonderful son.” If you have any questions about estate planning and charitable bequests that make a lasting difference, please feel free to contact Yolanda Bouwman at 604-585-5509 or yolanda.bouwman@fraserhealth.ca today. Bev and her son Lee Champion when he was a teenager.
The little things make a difference. Even the smallest donation can help to brighten a child’s hospital stay. Give a little. Give a lot. Together we change lives.
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premiere issue
Reflections FALL 2016
New Retinal OR makes more eyesight-saving surgeries possible! Don Carter is one of the lucky ones. Each year 4,700 British Columbians lose their vision. Don, a 67-year-old fishing fanatic and beekeeper, could have lost his after a blow to the head caused his retina to detach. Thankfully, Dr. Hugh Parsons saved his sight with a procedure that keeps the retina in place by inserting a gas bubble into the eye’s vitreous fluid. Today, Dr. Parsons heads the retinal surgery team at Surrey Memorial’s renowned Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre where Don is a regular visitor. Dr. Parson’s team has a lot to celebrate these days with the recent opening of a
state-of-the-art new retinal operating theatre (OR) that will allow for 500 more eyesight-saving surgeries per year for retinal detachment, protrusions in the macula, diabetic retinopathy and more. The new OR will reduce wait times by 50%, allowing for more timely treatments and better outcomes for patients. The retinal surgical program has been named as Canada’s 1st Centre of Excellence in Retinal Surgery and finds a partner in Bausch & Lomb who has chosen the facility as the training site for its most advanced products. The centre will lead the country in advancing research and treatments of retinal disease, while also training new retinal surgeons, some of whom will take their skills to developing parts of the world. Dr. Parsons and his three colleagues have already donated $200,000 toward equipping the new retinal OR. While fundraising for new equipment continues, donors have already helped raise another $1 million. Thank you to everyone involved in giving the gift of sight! Groundbreaking day – first surgery in the new OR
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The surgical team at Jim Pattison Outpatient Care & Surgery Centre