Dominic Giroux, HSN President and CEO of HSN; Mark Hartman, Vice President Cancer and Clinical Support, HSN; Dr. Tom Carr, Chief of Nuclear Medicine, HSN; Tannys Laughren, Executive Director of the Northern Cancer Foundation; Tony Niro and Louis Belanger, Architects from YBSA; Mayor Brian Bigger, Greater City of Sudbury; Councillor Joscelyne Landry-Altman, Greater City of Sudbury; France Gélinas, MPP Nickel-Belt, Jamie West, MPP Sudbury and NCF Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scan Fund members
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Health Sciences North (HSN) is making exciting changes to the West side of the building as construction for the new Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan Suite began in early June.
Today, HSN and the Northern Cancer Foundation (NCF) along with many community members celebrated the start of the construction.
The PET Scan Suite is being built on stilts at the back of the Ramsey Lake Health Centre. This includes a 4,500 sq. ft. expansion of HSN’s Nuclear Medicine Department, located on Level 2.
Since 2010, the NCF Sam Bruno P.E.T. Scan Fund has raised funds for the PET scanner in honor of Sam Bruno, who passed away eight years ago. Before he died, he lobbied and launched a fundraising campaign to acquire a PET scan machine for HSN.
Support has been overwhelming with communities across the northeast contributing $4.3 million to the project. The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has provided $4.6 million toward construction costs for the PET suite and up to $1.6 million in annual operating funding.
Construction of the PET scanner suite is expected to be complete by Winter 2019 with the first scan of the GE Discovery MI expected to take place by Summer 2019. The PET will save over 477,000 km in health travel annually.
Quotes:
“This event is a special occasion for many of us who have been waiting a long time to see this day. The installation of the PET Scan will save patients over 477,000 km in health travel annually. I am looking forward to being back here with you all in the coming months to officially open the new PET Scan Suite.” - Nicole Everest, Board Chair, Health Sciences North
“It’s been a long journey to this point, but here we are. It’s definitely a surreal feeling seeing the construction started for the PET-CT Suite. We certainly would not have gotten this far if it weren’t for the hard work and dedication by the Sam Bruno PET Steering Committee, Health Sciences North, the Government of Ontario and of course the strong support from donors all over northeastern Ontario.” - Tannys Laughren, Executive Director, Northern Cancer Foundation
“The PET is an important diagnostic tool that helps in the detection of certain forms of cancer, heart disease and neurological conditions. It is also a powerful tool for health research. This machine will improve patients’ access to care and provide faster results and allow patients to receive their care closer to home - Dr. Tom Carr, Nuclear Medicine Physician Chief of Nuclear Medicine, Health Sciences North
“There’s a lot to be excited about today. Fundraising for the PET Scanner had always been a priority project for our staff and the Sam Bruno PET Steering Committee. Patients in need of a PET scan will no longer have to drive the extra four hours to Southern Ontario. This machine will without a doubt bring a whole new level of care to cancer patients in the northeast.” - Shayne Smith, Chair, Board of Directors, Northern Cancer Foundation
“It’s so incredible - standing here and seeing construction underway. We set out to make a dream, Sam’s dream come true and here we are. It’s a little overwhelming. I know I speak for the whole PET Steering Committee when I say thank you to all of the individual donors, businesses and municipalities who supported our cause. Sam’s dream is coming true and we couldn’t be more thankful” – Brenda Tessaro, Founding Member, Sam Bruno P.E.T. Steering Committee
Source: HSN release
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