With BMO's most recent $200,000 donation to the HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match Campaign, the company has taken its cumulative support of Southlake Regional Health Centre to over $1 million.
The HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match Campaign is aiming to raise $20 million to increase capacity at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre, increasing the number of patients able to be treated annually, as well as improve the patient journey and experience through upgraded services.
Oncologist and physical lead for the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre Dr. Peter Anglin said building up the centre would not be possible without the support of partners like BMO.
“We have such incredible talent here — individuals at the very forefront of their disciplines," Anglin said. "Our doctors, nurses and radiation therapists represent the very best. Gifts like this will ensure they have the latest technology and upgraded facilities worthy of their skills.”
BMO has been a long-time partner of cancer care at Southlake, helping to originally establish the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre in 2007 with a gift to the Southlake Count on Me Campaign.
Improvements Southlake is looking to make to the centre include bringing the first-ever PET-CT scanner to York Region to expedite diagnosis and treatment; delivering more radiation therapy with new advanced linear accelerators (400 more patients a year with this first in Canadian technology); expanding chemotherapy treatment to reduce wait times (over 800 more patients per year); providing outpatient care for acute leukemia patients so they don’t need to travel for care; and replacing an aging MRI machine that is often down for repairs (8000 scans per year).
“Thousands of patients will benefit each year as a result of these upgrades to the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre,” said Jennifer Ritter, President and CEO of Southlake Foundation. “That’s thousands more family members, friends, neighbours and co-workers able to stay close to home to receive life-saving care when they need it most.
With the BMO donation, the campaign has reached 60 per cent of its goal to-date.
“This donation will help grant access to quality health care, supporting our employees, customers, and the communities in which we serve and operate,” said Chad Iwata, Managing Director, Corporate Finance, Canadian Commercial Banking, BMO. “BMO’s commitment to help the fight against cancer exemplifies our purpose to boldly grow the good in business and life, and we’re privileged to be able to contribute to something as meaningful as improved diagnoses and treatment.”
