News Release
Trillium opens
new women’s health centre dedicated to screening and
early intervention for breast cancer and osteoporosis
Etobicoke,
ON, September 28, 2004: Trillium Health Centre has 407 reasons
for opening its new Betty Wallace Women’s Health Centre.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, that’s how
many Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this
week. With a major focus on prevention, the Centre’s
‘one stop shop’ approach to breast health is expected
to result in more positive outcomes for women in Toronto’s
west end and Mississauga.
For the first time, women in the region
have access to a wide range of integrated services provided
by a team of surgeons, nurses, radiologists and technologists
dedicated to the care of women with potential breast disease
and osteoporosis. Mammography, bone densitometry and surgical
consultations all happen within the privacy of the Women’s
Health Centre, with breast ultrasound available in immediately
adjacent facilities.
Stereotactic breast biopsies can also
be done onsite, allowing small samples from an abnormal breast
mass to be obtained for examination. The procedure is completed
on an outpatient basis by a radiologist with a minimum of
discomfort.
“One of the
greatest health care challenges faced by women today is navigating
the system and receiving timely care,” says Jo-Anne
Oake-Vecchiato, director, Women’s and Children’s
Health System, Trillium Health Centre. “By consolidating
these services in one location, Trillium will be able to track
and set benchmarks for timely, coordinated care and communication
with women, thereby minimizing wait times.”
Ambience is another critical factor
the staff addressed when developing the Women’s Health
Centre. Natural light, warm wood, beige and lavender tones
have helped to create a spa-like setting for screening and
treatment. Soft, relaxing music plays in the background throughout
the day. The barrier-free design accommodates wheelchairs
offering wide access routes and exam tables that can be electronically
raised and lowered. And a new alternative to hospital gowns
is being introduced that better meets the needs of women of
different cultural backgrounds.
“We wanted to do everything
we could to lessen the anxiety for women, and a comforting,
soothing environment can make such a difference when you are
facing a potentially serious health issue,” says Dr.
Michael Padonou, Trillium’s head of General Surgery.
Trillium’s
approach also includes becoming a designated Ontario Breast
Screening Centre. The Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP)
is a comprehensive, organized breast cancer-screening program
operated by Cancer Care Ontario with a mission to reduce mortality
from breast cancer by delivering high quality breast screening
to Ontario women between the ages of 50 and 74. Once the Women’s
Health Centre has this designation, women over the age of
50 will be able to self-refer.
“My mother would have welcomed
a Centre like this,” says local Mississauga entrepreneur,
Kevin Wallace, whose mother, Betty, lost her courageous fight
with breast cancer in 1993. The co-owner of Gears Bike Shop
in Port Credit, together with his business partner, Ira Kargel,
has pledged $3 million towards the Women’s Health Centre,
allowing the centre to take shape and become a reality. The
pair has successfully raised $1.4 million through their annual
Gears 24-hour Spin for Breast Cancer, held for the past three
years in Mississauga’s Hershey Centre.
“My mother
always said that whatever you give, you receive back tenfold,”
says Wallace. Instilled with that same generous spirit, he
will bring together over 2,500 cyclists again in February
2005 to continue his support of the Betty Wallace Women’s
Health Centre. “We can’t underestimate the impact
that Centres like this will have on women and their families.
It’s a testament to the power of our community to find
a common goal and work to make it a reality.”
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Media Contacts
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