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MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release
November 24, 2011
Photo Opportunity
Eye on the Future for Retinal Surgery Innovation
HDGH Foundation Receives Major Gift from Great-West Life Assurance Company
What: Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital (HDGH) will unveil its latest state-of-the-art eye surgical technology on Friday, November 25, 2011, to be followed by a live demonstration of its capability on a patient by renowned ophthalmologist and surgeon Dr. Fouad Tayfour. HDGH has added to its inventory surgical equipment the Bausch + Lomb Stellaris PC that enables surgeons to perform advanced minimally invasive techniques to repair both cataracts and retinal damage using one surgical platform.
The event will also include the announcement of a major gift by Great-West Life Assurance Company to support the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital Foundation’s Beyond Medicine Campaign to purchase the equipment for the clinics and surgical units that will be located in the new outpatient building.
WHEN: Friday November 25, 2011 at 9:45 a.m. (media set-up), surgical demonstration at 10:30 AM Sharp (please note that due to surgical scheduling it is imperative that media interested covering in the live demonstration be able to adhere to this timetable).
WHO: Dr. Robin Deans, Chief HDGH Ophthalmology Department
Mr. Pat Ranson, Director of Sales, Bausch + Lomb
Dan Gibson, Senior Vitro-retinal Specialist, Bausch + Lomb
Christy Bacik, Regional Director Southwestern Ontario, The Great West Life Assurance Company
Mr. Bill Marra, Executive Director HDGH Foundation
WHERE: Conference Room 8 (located near the Ouellette Ave. entrance behind cashier’s office) to be immediately followed by a live surgical demonstration of the Stellaris PC, by Dr. Tayfour in the cataract surgery clinic.
Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital provides the most comprehensive ophthalmology program this side of London, offering patients with eye disease a full range of treatment options including corneal eye transplantation. HDGH’s outpatient building expansion will include the construction of two state-of-the art ophthalmology operating theatres, with facilities and equipment that will enable surgeons to perform the most advanced surgical procedures on patients with eye-related diseases.
In anticipation of this expansion, HDGH continues to bolster its inventory of surgical technology and recently added the state-of-the art Bausch + Lomb Stellaris PC to its ophthalmology program, allowing advanced minimally-invasive techniques to repair retinal damage and cataracts. Since the installation of the Stellaris PC platform in April 3470 cases (a case can have more than one procedure) have been performed using this leading-edge surgical equipment.
BACKGROUND ON THE STELLARIS PC
The Stellaris PC affords our surgeons and their patient’s access to the latest in surgical technology and advanced minimally-invasive techniques to repair retinal damage and cataracts. HDGH was the first hospital in Canada to take delivery of and put into surgical practice this major advancement in vitro-retinal surgery. The Stellaris PC is one of the most effective and efficient technologies available in the performance of vitrectomy and phacoemulsification procedures. Additionally, this efficiency provides our healthcare system with some significant cost savings because surgeons are able to perform both cataract and retinal procedures using this technology. Hospitals in Calgary and Quebec have also recently taken delivery of Stellaris PC technology for their ophthalmology programs. The first Stellaris PC procedure in Canada was performed at Hôtel-Dieu Grace on April 15, 2011, by Dr. Fouad Tayfour. Dr. Tayfour is a world-renowned ophthalmologist and surgeon who has pioneered the delivery of many innovative eye surgical techniques in Canada.
ABOUT GREAT-WEST LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY
The Great-West Life Assurance Company is a celebrated and well-respected leader in both national and local philanthropic circles. The company actively embraces and supports the goals of the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy’s Imagine program and is recognized by Imagine Canada as a Caring Company. Through the company’s much admired Key to Giving program The Great-West Life Assurance Company has been steadfast in supporting communities across Canada by providing financial resources and encouraging its employees to get involved in charitable opportunities that enrich the lives of people with a long-term view toward building stronger communities for tomorrow.
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For more information, contact Steve Erwin, Director of Communications (519) 973-4433.
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