SINAI FUND IMPACT REPORT 2018
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The Sinai Fund supports Sinai Health System’s highest priorities and critical needs. It strengthens connections between doctors, patients and families, and improves patient care. It allows us to seize emerging opportunities to care for patients in exciting new ways — often through programs and initiatives that extend beyond our base public hospital funding.
Thank you for supporting the Sinai Fund.
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DR. GARY NEWTON PRESIDENT AND CEO, SINAI HEALTH SYSTEM
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Sinai Health System is for everyone It’s for the preterm baby whose due date is actually eight weeks from today, but who’s now in our NICU. It’s for the young type 1 diabetes patient who just “graduated” from the kids’ hospital across the street and who is now beginning a lifelong relationship with his care providers at Mount Sinai. It’s for the young couple who are running into setbacks as they try to start a family. It’s for the pregnant mom with cancer who is determined to deliver a healthy, full-term baby. It’s for the retired businessman who’s now ready for a new set of knees after years of family ski weekends. It’s for the middle-aged daughter who’s caring for her aging mother with Alzheimer’s. And it’s for her mother, when she falls and breaks her hip. It’s for anyone who says “I don’t want to die in hospital. I want to be at home with my family.” Your contributions to the Sinai Fund benefit all these people and others like them — funding vital infrastructure and equipment across Sinai Health, and supporting innovative programming that connects clinicians to patients, researchers to physicians, and patients back to their families and homes. This report illustrates how your gift supports people of all ages — from the tiniest baby still in mom’s womb, to people who depend on lifelong chronic disease care, to the frail elderly who are growing in number as Canada’s population ages. Thank you for trusting that we will use your donations wisely, so that everyone who walks through Sinai’s doors receives the very best health care. We are deeply grateful for your support.
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Setting babies on course for lifelong health
MEET Eiko
Romeo Crisostomo, Romelia Son and baby Eiko
Faced with the risk of brain damage, paralysis and other life-altering complications at birth, baby Eiko is kicking, eating and growing just like other babies her age — thanks to care by Sinai Health’s fetal therapists together with surgeons from SickKids.
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Like two of every three babies born at Mount Sinai, Eiko was delivered from a high-risk pregnancy. A routine prenatal ultrasound had shown her spinal cord protruding through her spine — a severe form of spina bifida.
S U P P O R T I N G S I N A I H E A LT H ’ S H I G H E S T P R I O R I T I E S & C R I T I C A L N E E D S
Despite the typically challenging prognosis in such cases, doctors offered Romelia Son and Romeo Crisostomo new hope for their daughter with a first-in-Canada surgery. Twenty five weeks into her pregnancy, Romelia was wheeled into a surgical delivery room in Mount Sinai’s Slaight Family Labour & Delivery Unit. The fetal therapists cut her abdomen open, and carefully positioned tiny Eiko so the surgeons could fix her spine. Then they topped-up the fluid in Romelia’s womb and closed it with a watertight seal.
The Sinai Fund helps provide highly advanced medical equipment, such as the fetoscopes, ultrasound units, medical lasers and other devices used by fetal therapists in delicate procedures and lifesaving surgeries for babies still in the womb.
Eiko was born 11 weeks later, just shy of full term. “She’s our little miracle,” says Romelia proudly.
Canada’s most experienced fetal therapy team
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PROGRAMS in North America, providing highly specialized fetal care in collaboration with SickKids
CARING FOR WOMEN AND BABIES with any complication in pregnancy — such as heart conditions, blood disorders, cancer, diabetes, fetal defects, HIV & other infectious diseases, kidney failure, organ transplants, preeclampsia & placental disorders
2/3
OF
7,000 BABIES BORN YEARLY at Mount Sinai come from high-risk pregnancies
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All in the family: chronic disease care for multiple generations
MEET
Sloane Despite knowing the health challenges
flare. Today Raquel is healthy, thanks to the
she may encounter in the years ahead,
care provided by Sinai’s IBD specialists.
15-year-old Sloane Feldberg faces the future undaunted.
When she turns 18, Sloane will transition to Mount Sinai from her paediatric IBD
When she developed debilitating stomach
program. Knowing she can count on the
pain, bleeding and fever at just eight
Sinai Health team for the rest of her life,
years old, her mom recognized what was
Sloane is confident she too will overcome
happening. The doctors soon confirmed
any complications that may arise.
Sloane’s diagnosis: ulcerative colitis — a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that often runs in families. Through the battery of appointments, blood tests and colonoscopies that followed, Sloane’s mom supported her daughter every step of the way. “She trusted me because she knew that I was her partner in this,” says Raquel — herself a patient of Sinai Health’s IBD program. One year later, young Sloane reciprocated
"The doctors will help you, and everyone around you will support you and help you feel better."
that support when Raquel suffered lifethreatening complications, five surgeries
- Sloane Feldberg
and months in hospital following an IBD
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S U P P O R T I N G S I N A I H E A LT H ’ S H I G H E S T P R I O R I T I E S & C R I T I C A L N E E D S
5-10%
of Canadians SUFFER FROM HIGHLY HERITABLE AND CONNECTED AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES
Patient Sloane and her mother Raquel
CeD C E L I AC D I S E AS E I L2-I L2 1 I L1 2 A SH 2 B 3
PTPN2 PTPN22
I L 2- I L 2 1
CD
CROHN’S DISEASE
T1D
TYPE 1 DIABETES
IL2RA
I L2- I L21
MS
IFIH1 PTPN 2 2
P T P N2 2
M U LT I P L E S C L E R O S I S
SLE
I BD5 PTPN 2 2
PTPN22
The Sinai Fund supports the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, where medical scientists are uncovering genetic and environmental factors linked to autoimmune disease. Their discoveries fuel the search for new, more effective therapies and help doctors select the best course of treatment for each patient from a growing arsenal of medicines.
LUPUS STAT4
RA
R H E U M AT O I D A R T H R I T I S
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Trying times: helping families overcome infertility
MEET
Jordy& Pam
Jordy and Pam Mecklinger with twins Hayley and Brandon
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Jordy and Pam Mecklinger were looking
CF mutations are the most common genetic
forward to starting a family. Like many
cause of male infertility. Men with very mild,
couples with no luck conceiving, they turned
previously undetected CF, as well as those
to specialists for help. Pam checked out fine,
who carry only one copy of the mutation, may
but Jordy’s results came as a shock. “There
be born without the tubes that allow sperm to
were no sperm in the sample,” he says.
pass through the male reproductive system.
Further tests revealed a genetic mutation for
Jordy was, in fact, able to produce viable
cystic fibrosis (CF), a frequently fatal disease
sperm. With assistance from Dr. Jarvi and
of the lungs and digestive system.
fertility specialists, he and Pam became proud
Otherwise healthy, Jordy was both surprised
parents of healthy twins.
and alarmed — but Dr. Keith Jarvi, Head of
Today, three-and-a-half year old Hayley and
Urology and Director of Mount Sinai’s Murray
Brandon keep Mom and Dad busy. “It’s like
Koffler Urologic Wellness Centre, was not.
nothing extraordinary happened,” says Jordy. “Except it did.”
15%
OF
couples trying to conceive experience infertility
50%
OF
the time, male infertility is a factor
Contributions to the Sinai Fund allow the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute to support Dr. Jarvi, his collaborators and other Sinai Health researchers in their efforts to advance new, less invasive and more effective ways to assess fertility, help people grow their families, and retrieve and preserve sperm, eggs or embryos for those who may seek to become parents in the future — including young cancer patients whose future fertility may be compromised by chemotherapy.
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Managing Menopause
MEET
Vered
Your support for the Sinai Fund helps Sinai Health manage patient information, lab tests, and test results accurately and efficiently through evolving health information systems and continually advancing information technologies.
When Vered Eyal began to experience
“I was impressed with Dr. Wolfman’s
hot flashes, sleep problems and extreme
openness and knowledge,” says Vered. “She
moods, the busy organizational consultant
is really all about quality of life [and]
downplayed her symptoms.
makes sure you get what’s right for
But a healthy lifestyle — including a plant-
your circumstances.”
based Mediterranean diet, organic fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, yoga and meditation — wasn’t enough to get her through menopause. Dragging herself out of bed, exhausted and lethargic every morning, Vered took a year off work. She consulted a naturopath and tried several herbal supplements, to no avail. When her family doctor referred her to Mount Sinai’s Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women’s and Infants’ Health, Vered expected her symptoms would be dismissed. On the contrary, Dr. Wendy Wolfman took them very seriously. Following a long conversation about her
“I have seen the physiological strain and toll menopause sometimes takes on women, on their relationships, their loved ones, their kids. It’s heartbreaking.”
condition and concerns about hormone replacement, Vered agreed to try low level therapy. Within three days the hot flashes vanished, her sleep improved, her energy
- Carol R. Mitchell, CEO, iMaGiNe Wealth Management
returned and her mood lifted.
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S U P P O R T I N G S I N A I H E A LT H ’ S H I G H E S T P R I O R I T I E S & C R I T I C A L N E E D S
Women’s Health
Vered Eyal
Matters The Carol Mitchell Chair in Mature Women’s Health is the first clinical
research chair in North America and Europe established with a focus on managing menopause symptoms. Severe menopause symptoms can negatively affect women at home and in the workplace, but very few studies
have looked at the scope and scale of their impact.
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Making the most of the golden years
MEET
David At the age of 63, David was looking forward to retirement before a growth in his left knee cast his plans in doubt. When the diagnosis came in — osteosarcoma, the same bone cancer as Terry Fox — he feared his active lifestyle was about to change dramatically. Those fears were soon quelled by Sinai Health’s Surgeon-in-Chief and Rubinoff/ Gross Chair in Orthopaedic Oncology, Dr. Jay Wunder. “Dr. Wunder gave me the encouragement I needed to beat this and let the healing process begin,” David says. After surgery to remove the tumour and reconstruct his knee, followed by radiation therapy, David recovered his health and mobility. He and his wife travelled to Greece, where they climbed 913 steps to the Palamidi fortress perched on a steep hill overlooking the Aegean’s Argolic Gulf.
David
Your support for the Sinai Fund contributes to the hospital’s ongoing redevelopment and modernization, such as the new surgical floor scheduled to open in 2020. New ORs will complement Sinai Health’s expertise in orthopaedic surgery and surgical oncology, providing leading-edge technology to aid in removing tumours, repairing limbs and joints, and replacing hips and knees — in adults of all ages.
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S U P P O R T I N G S I N A I H E A LT H ’ S H I G H E S T P R I O R I T I E S & C R I T I C A L N E E D S
Renewing Mount Sinai’s surgical floor:
65,000
sq ft
CONSOLIDATION OF SURGICAL FACILITIES
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state-of-the-art operating rooms
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new surgical inpatient beds
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Private pre- and post-anaesthesia bays for day surgery patients
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Unravelling complex health issues
MEET
Nick Nick* came to Mount Sinai’s Schwartz/
The same medicine had coincidentally held
Reisman Emergency Centre to have his
a developing gout-like condition at bay.
sore wrist checked after a minor fall. The
Without the medicine, the pseudogout flared
physical exam and x-rays ruled out a break
up, causing Nick’s neck and wrist pains.
or fracture, but Dr. Don Melady wanted to be sure the 81-year-old was in optimal health before sending him home.
After starting back on the medication, Nick was discharged from hospital feeling much better. Dr. Melady and the Sinai Health team
Experienced in teasing out fragments of
kept his family doctor in the loop, to help
information sometimes provided by older
Nick remain in top shape.
patients, Dr. Melady soon learned Nick’s wrist pain was only the latest in a recent
*name changed at request of patient
series of issues, following months of dizzy spells and minor falls. These details, together with other medical clues, allowed Dr. Melady and Sinai Health’s geriatrics team to piece Nick’s health puzzle together. Four months prior, after surgery to remove a non-cancerous tumour near his brain, Nick had stopped taking a medicine that counteracted the tumour’s effects. Withdrawal from the medication caused his blood pressure to drop, which led to his
The Schwartz/Reisman Emergency Centre remains open and will continue to provide uninterrupted care during ongoing renewal and expansion, which will see the Centre nearly double in size with dedicated rapid, acute and extended care zones. Support for the Sinai Fund will help outfit more than a dozen newly added treatment bays with necessities like stretchers, patient monitors and life-saving medical equipment.
dizziness and falls.
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The Schwartz/Reisman Emergency Medicine Research Institute is advancing emergency department (ED) care to align with older patients’ needs
Traditional ED visits:
Geriatric emergency medicine consults:
• generally involve a single, acute complaint
• patients often present with multiple medical, functional and social issues
• patients expect a specific diagnosis and treatment plan
• they often seek help managing symptoms to sustain quality of life, but don’t expect to be ‘cured’
• rapid discharge is typical, with instructions for follow-up if needed
• transition plans may be needed to support continuity of care between the ED, inpatient units, specialists and family doctors
Dr. Don Melady
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The Ontario Fetal Centre gives our tiniest, most fragile babies a fighting chance at life, and the gift of walking, fewer surgeries, and in some cases survival. It’s amazing what these doctors can do.
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- Romelia Son, mother and patient
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My personal mission is to highlight and end the stigma around male infertility. By talking about what I went through, though it’s difficult, I believe more men will go and get help.
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- Jordy Mecklinger, patient
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We want to help ensure that research and funding continues, so doctors can continue to save lives and restore health to people like me and Sloane. - Raquel Feldberg, mother and patient
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S U P P O R T I N G S I N A I H E A LT H ’ S H I G H E S T P R I O R I T I E S & C R I T I C A L N E E D S
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Being diagnosed with cancer was truly a shock. But once I met with the staff at Mount Sinai, I had a whole new lease on life. They gave me what I needed to beat this and let the healing process begin.
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- David, patient
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It’s a misconception to think these are trivial symptoms that women have to endure. These are complaints of aging, with an inappropriate stigma of shame talking about them. - Dr. Wendy Wolfman
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The health needs of older adults are often more complex than they seem. When they come to the Emergency Department, we try to get the full picture to support their ongoing health and quality of life. - Dr. Don Melady
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We couldn’t do it without you Your generosity allows Sinai Health to develop and deliver better care so that patients live longer and well. By supporting the Sinai Fund, you are strengthening a legacy of giving that stretches back more than 100 years — when the very first private funds were collected to help create a hospital built on compassion, equity and innovation. Through your support, you are helping renew Mount Sinai Hospital to provide the most advanced care for patients and their families, today and in years to come. You are bringing patients the benefits of the most current medical technologies and lifesaving equipment. And you are advancing personalized medicine and health research, redefining best practices, and driving health system reforms to shape the future of health care. We are grateful for your support of Sinai Health. On behalf of the patients and families touched by your generosity, thank you.
Louis de Melo, CPA, CMA CEO, Sinai Health Foundation Executive VP, Academic Advancement Sinai Health System
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Gary Newton, MD, FRCPC President & CEO Sinai Health System
S U P P O R T I N G S I N A I H E A LT H ’ S H I G H E S T P R I O R I T I E S & C R I T I C A L N E E D S
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We have great faith in the ability of Sinai Health System to impact our lives and those around us in an expert and wonderfully kind manner. This combination is the magic that Sinai provides. SUSAN GUICHON SINAI FUND SUPPORTER
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SINAI HEALTH + YOU =
A healthier future for families everywhere supportsinai.ca 23