An update on PRHC: Realizing a truly regional health centre

A doctor performs a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure.

Our donors often tell us that Peterborough Regional Health Centre sometimes feels like two hospitals in one. On one hand, they say the personalized, compassionate care provided today by PRHC’s healthcare professionals reminds them of the hospitals where their children were born.

On the other hand, the outstanding calibre of care, sheer scope of service, continuous introduction of new and innovative treatment options, and arrival of world-class experts, tells a different story.

We’re not just Peterborough’s hospital anymore. And that’s good news for everyone.

Becoming a Hub Hospital

The PRHC of 2022 is a significant player in provincial healthcare delivery. A fully regional health centre with an annual operating budget of $320 million, PRHC now supports regional referrals from five smaller partner hospitals within our catchment area, including Ross Memorial Hospital, Campbellford Memorial Hospital, Northumberland Hills Hospital, Minden Hospital, and Haliburton Highlands Hospital.

In fact, PRHC was recently designated by Ontario Health East, our regional health authority, as a fully integrated “hub” for care, similar to Kingston General Hospital, Lakeridge Health, and Scarborough Health Network. That means our hospital is now a peer of GTA facilities like North York General, Humber River Hospital, and Southlake Regional Health Centre.

These leaps forward did not happen by chance. They were realized thanks to the world-class care being provided by an outstanding healthcare team – care made possible by the state-of-the-art tools they’re able to use every day thanks to donor investments.

Accolades and Adversity

We’re very proud of the care being delivered at PRHC. This spring, the hospital achieved the highest possible Accreditation Canada results, receiving the designation “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” for the second time in a row.

Recently, PRHC was also awarded Stroke Distinction in Acute and Inpatient Rehabilitation Stroke Services by Accreditation Canada for the second time, indicating national leadership in the provision of high-quality stroke care.

These accolades would be amazing accomplishments in a normal year. They’re nothing short of exceptional during an ongoing crisis.

PRHC’s leadership and staff continue to respond to the tremendous challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re also working hard to address the difficulties presented by the current healthcare human resources crisis, rising wait times, and external issues like the ongoing shortage of family doctors.

Donors are helping shoulder these burdens, giving PRHC’s healthcare professionals hope that with donor support, we can meet any challenges that come our way.

At the same time, we’re keeping our eye on the future. The need for care in our region is only increasing as our population grows and ages. We can’t lose sight of the investments that must be made now in order to respond to future needs.

Interventional Radiology: Tiny incisions with extraordinary impact

Interventional radiology is used to diagnose and treat a wide range of emergency and chronic health conditions – without major surgery. Because it involves only a small incision and no general anesthetic, it results in less pain and shorter hospital stays.

To treat a much wider range of patient conditions and to pave the way for new, lifesaving therapies in the near future, we’re working with donors to invest $6 million into expanding PRHC’s two existing Interventional Radiology suites, building a new step-down unit, and furnishing all with the latest technology.

Cancer Care: Expert treatment, compassionate care

With your support, we’re also investing $13 million in excellence in cancer care so we can serve more patients, support earlier diagnosis, and ensure safer and more effective treatments. This includes technology like a second MRI, to allow for an additional 5,000 procedures a year (representing a 53% growth in volume), so our oncologists can help more cancer patients who have no time to wait.

A Bold Vision

PRHC has a bold vision for the future: to be the go-to large acute care hospital for patients between Kingston and the GTA. But to get there, we need you by our side.

We hope you’ll consider supporting our hospital this holiday season. Together, we’ll shape the future of healthcare in our region.

Community events helping to fund world-class cancer care

Group of Dragon Boat paddlers with giant cheque

Through your support of incredible community events like Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival, Couture Candy’s recent sweet treat fundraiser and the upcoming “Cancer Takedown 2022”, you’re investing in world-class cancer care at PRHC, helping your hospital to serve more patients, support earlier diagnosis, and ensure safer and more effective treatments.

This includes investments like a second MRI, to allow for an additional 5,000 procedures a year (representing a 53% growth in volume), and robotic preparation of chemotherapy medications – the same chemotherapy preparation system found at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and the next logical step for our Centre of Excellence for Cancer Care.

Last month, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival announced that they beat their goal and raised an amazing $202,268.41! And just recently, the team at Couture Candy PTBO donated a spectacular $16,700 raised through “Supporting Cancer Care is Sweet”!

Next, local celebrities Kate Suhr, Melissa Payne, Linda Kash, Megan Murphy and friends will present “Cancer Takedown 2022”. Please join them November 16 at Market Hall for an evening of song, story and solidarity in support of cancer care at PRHC. Tickets are available by phone at 705-775-1503, at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte Street – 3rd floor, Monday-Friday 12-5pm), or online.

Because of the inspiring hard work and generosity of event organizers and the participation of wonderful people like you, cancer patients from across our region can receive the expert, specialized care they need, close to home – instead of having to travel. Thank you!

Inaugural “Cancer Takedown” fundraiser takes place November 16th

Smiling woman

Join local celebrities Linda Kash and Megan Murphy on Wednesday, November 16th at 7 pm for a night of “song, story, and solidarity for anyone touched by cancer”.

The inaugural “Cancer Takedown” fundraiser will be held at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough, with all proceeds supporting cancer care at PRHC.

Described as a “spirit-raiser” as much as a fundraiser, the evening will feature local musicians Kate Suhr and Melissa Payne and their bands, along with musical director Anthony Bastianon and singer, dancer, and actor Denise Oucharek. Along with the performances, people with cancer will also be sharing their stories.

Tickets are $50 for assigned cabaret table seating and $30 general admission seating. They can be purchased over the phone at 705-775-1503, in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte Street, 3rd floor – open Mon-Fri, noon to 5 p.m.) or online at tickets.markethall.org

Click to Watch Video

2022 Dragon Boat Festival raises $202,268.41!

Group of Dragon Boat paddlers with giant cheque

Proceeds support the future of cancer care at PRHC

The Dragon returned with a ROAR in June with it’s first in-person event since 2019.  Organizers set an aggressive goal of $180,000.00 and asked the community to #GETBACKINTHEBOAT as they pledged to make a difference, one race at a time.

Well, together they paddled right past their goal, raising an incredible $202,268.41!

Proceeds from the event will fund lifesaving equipment and technology used in the diagnosis and treatment of caner at PRHC. Together, we’re helping ensure the future of cancer care at our hospital, and in our region.

Thank you to the thousands of paddlers, donors, volunteers and sponsors who made this incredible donation possible.

A special shout out to Kawartha Credit Union who marked their 21st consecutive year as presenting sponsor – a remarkable demonstration of their commitment to both our community and the cause. Thank you!

The Dragon returns to Del Crary Park on Saturday, June 10, 2023 so mark your calendars and we’ll see you back out on the water!

Patient grateful for donor-funded tools used to diagnose and treat her cancer, close to home

Smiling woman standing outside the PRHC

Tracey Germa’s mammogram was supposed to be routine, but a few days later she was back at PRHC for an ultrasound, then a biopsy. With invasive ductal carcinoma confirmed, Tracey had a mastectomy.

“Since then I’ve been grateful, again and again, to PRHC’s doctors, nurses, and staff for their expert care and their compassion,” she says.

Tracey is also thankful to donors, who funded the tools her team used to diagnose and treat her close to home.

“From the mammography machines and ultrasounds, to the surgical suites, lab equipment and Dysart Radiation Centre. Thanks to donors, I had access to leading-edge technology that helped PRHC shorten my wait times while giving my doctor the clearest results,” she says. “Our hospital gave me a better chance at surviving.”

New interventional oncology treatments pushing the envelope on cancer care treatment at PRHC

Doctor and nurse in surgery

Dr. Kebby King has been providing minimally invasive care to patients in the donor-funded interventional radiology suites at Peterborough Regional Health Centre for 14 years. During that time she’s seen a lot of innovation in her field – making interventional radiology a broad specialty that can be used to diagnose and treat patients with a variety of medical conditions.

One area that has shown a lot of innovation in the application of interventional radiology is cancer care. Known as interventional oncology, this sub-specialty can be used to treat a variety of cancers and cancer-related disease – including kidney tumours, some types of pancreatic cancers, primary liver tumours, and cancer spread to the liver from the colon, pancreas and breast, to name a few – often allowing patients with cancer more time to live their lives.

“Interventional oncology has revolutionized cancer treatment,” says Dr. King. That’s because traditional cancer care involves administering chemotherapy medication to the entire body. For PRHC cancer patients who are candidates for interventional radiology, Dr. King and her colleagues perform very targeted treatments, using catheters and wires guided through tiny incisions in the skin and blood vessels, to focus precisely on the cancer.

“We’re able to specifically target the cancer,” explains Dr. King. “Either by delivering a higher dose of drugs to the target or by performing ablation or microwave therapy to kill the tumour directly.”

“We’re bombarding the cancer with all the good stuff to try to stem its spread and growth,” she says. “And because it’s so targeted, it has fewer side effects for the patient and it can be done on an outpatient basis.” Performed without the large incisions and associated risks of open surgery, it also means less pain and recovery time for patients.

This level of advanced and complex healthcare is available in the Peterborough region as a direct result of our generous donors. But PRHC’s interventional radiology suites are now 14 years old and are too small to fit new, advanced technology and the number of medical personnel required to use it. 

Your donations now will help shape the future of interventional radiology at PRHC. You’ll enable a $6 million upgrade and expansion of the interventional radiology facilities, including state-of-the-art equipment. With this essential upgrade, Dr. King and her colleagues will be able to perform more innovative and complex, minimally invasive procedures right here, so patients can receive the best care, close to home.

For more information or to support this exciting investment, please visit prhcfoundation.ca or call 705-876-5000.

Supporting cancer care is sweet

Couture Candy PTBO – where the motto is #BeingKindIsSweet – has launched a fundraiser called “Supporting cancer care is sweet” to do just that: support cancer care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre!

Inspired by her many customers who come to Candy Couture PTBO looking to send a treat to someone impacted by cancer, owner Lisa wants to give back to the community.

From now until October 3rd, the shop will donate a portion of the proceeds from over 10 of their most popular products to the PRHC Foundation.

But that’s not all, during the shop’s ice cream fundraisers throughout the summer, everyone who donates at checkout will get their name on an exclusive donor card displayed in the front window of the store!

Visit them in person seven days a week in downtown Peterborough at 386 George St. N. or online.

Thanks to Lisa and her Couture Candy PTBO customers for being so sweet!

Donors are helping the future of healthcare unfold across PRHC’s spectrum of care

PRHC Foundation donors have funded millions of dollars in equipment and technology across the wide spectrum of cancer care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

From the Norm & Jessie Dysart Radiation Centre and Breast Assessment Centre, to lifesaving investments in laboratory and surgical equipment, to current fundraising for two new CT scanners, a second MRI machine and technology that supports the automated preparation of chemotherapy medication, donors are supporting cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment for patients from across our region, close to home.

Among these prominent cancer care departments and tools though, is a lesser known area of medicine that is quickly becoming essential not only to cancer care, but to the future of healthcare at your hospital. Interventional radiology is an innovative specialty where experts like PRHC’s Dr. Sohail Zaheer use high-tech imaging to help them steer needles, guidewires and catheters into tiny incisions in the skin and through blood vessels. It’s used to find and fix issues just about anywhere in the body.

With it, Dr. Zaheer and his colleagues can stop bleeding, take tissue samples, put in access lines for dialysis, open up blood vessels, cauterize tumours, or even stop tumours from growing by blocking their blood supply. These procedures are performed without the large incisions and associated risks of open surgery.

This means less pain and shorter recovery times for patients like Liz, who was diagnosed and treated for metastatic breast cancer at PRHC. Interventional radiology is just part of the spectrum of her care made possible by your donations.

Dr. Zaheer shares that Liz is now cancer-free and he recently removed her port-a-cath – a device he implanted under her skin two years before for easy access to chemotherapy medication.

“As an interventional radiologist, the best part of my job is helping people like Liz get back to their lives as quickly and painlessly as possible,” he says.

There are a lot of patients like Liz. PRHC’s interventional radiologists already perform 6,000 procedures a year and the need is growing. But PRHC’s interventional radiology facilities are 13 years old, need updating, and are too small to fit essential new equipment and the number of medical personnel required to use it.

To meet that need and bring new treatments to our region, the Foundation is committed to funding a $6 million investment in interventional radiology. With your help, PRHC will renovate and expand its facilities, outfitting them with state-of-the-art technology. Then Dr. Zaheer and his colleagues can perform more – and more complex – procedures. “Because donors care, the future of healthcare is unfolding right here,” he says.

For more information on this exciting investment, please call 705-876-5000, or make a donation online.

#GetInTheBoat: Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival is back on the water!

On Saturday June 11, 2022 Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival will safely welcome our community back to Little Lake at Del Crary Park in Peterborough for a great day on the water in support of PRHC Foundation and cancer care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre! Get your team together and get ready to #GetInTheBoat! More information is available online now.

We’re so grateful for this beloved event and vital fundraiser which has raised more than $3.7 million since 2001 to help fund world-class cancer and breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at PRHC. Proceeds from the 2022 Festival will support the Health Centre’s continuing mission to bring the best cancer care the world has to offer, right to your regional hospital. 

With your support, PRHC will be able to serve more patients, support earlier cancer diagnosis, and ensure safer, more effective treatment, close to home. You’ll be helping the hospital invest in equipment and technology like new state-of-the-art CT scanners, a second cutting-edge MRI machine, and RIVA technology for the robotic preparation of chemotherapy. You’ll also be helping PRHC attract and retain the best and brightest healthcare professionals. 

On behalf of everyone at PRHC, especially patients and their families, thank you to the organizing committee, Survivors Abreast and all of the passionate sponsors, volunteers, participants and donors who make the Festival a success every year!