Hello Neighbour,
As the hospital’s lead vascular surgeon, I’m excited about what this upgraded facility will make possible — and deeply grateful to Sharyn and her husband Kevin for their promise to match donations.
Can I count on your generosity as well?
The upgraded suite will combine a standard operating room with the latest X-ray technology, so we can treat aneurysms, blood clots and strokes faster and more accurately.
Your gift will make a difference in several important ways.
You’ll save lives. Instead of sending patients like Kevin to Hamilton or other hospitals, we’ll be able to perform the advanced surgery they need right here at Guelph General.
That means they can get care sooner — and when you’ve got a ruptured aneurysm, sooner can mean the difference between life and death.
Surgeries will also take less time with this suite, letting us treat more patients. Instead of doing two aneurysm surgeries a day, we’ll be able to do three.
You’ll give us better tools.We need X-rays to see exactly where to insert a stent, stop the bleeding or remove a clot. The upgraded suite’s built-in X-ray equipment and massive monitor will give us a much clearer image, so we can perform these procedures with greater precision.
You’ll protect our team. During surgeries, everyone in the room is exposed to X-ray radiation. For the patient, it may last an hour or two. But for doctors, nurses and anaesthesiologists, it can be a lifetime exposure.
It’s something I think about every day. So many of the surgeons who trained me have died from radiation exposure. The new imaging technology uses much lower-dose X-rays, keeping everyone safer.
You’ll attract more vascular surgeons to Guelph General — and help us keep the ones we have.
Right now, there’s a Canada-wide shortage of these specialists. They’ve got their pick of jobs, and they want to work with the latest technology.
In fact, our plans for this cutting-edge facility helped us recruit Dr. Mah to lead Guelph General’s new advanced vascular surgery program.
And you’ll help people across the region. That’s because Guelph General has been designated a regional vascular surgery provider.
We serve patients from Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Orangeville, Stratford and all the way up to Owen Sound. We also work closely with Hamilton General and London Health Sciences, taking patients from them when they’re at capacity.
For more than a million people, we’re the place to go when they require vascular care.
I’ve seen how many people in this community step up for our hospital. It’s truly remarkable — and I’m really grateful for the support that makes our work possible.
Now, I’m asking you to step up again. We still need to raise $1.5 million for this facility. The government doesn’t fund patient care equipment, so we have to turn to warm-hearted people like you.
Every gift, no matter the size, will make a difference. And because Sharyn and Kevin will match your donation, your gift will have double the impact.
Will you help us bring this life-saving care closer to home?
Sincerely,
Dr. Afshin Jahromi
Lead Vascular Surgeon
P.S. Give by December 31st to make your gift go twice as far, thanks to Sharyn and Kevin’s generous matching pledge. And don’t forget: your gift is eligible for a charitable donation receipt!