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Victoria Hospitals Foundation launches spring campaign

Foundation hopes to raise $375,000 for a Gamma-CT Scanner

The Victoria Hospitals Foundation launched its spring campaign Wednesday to help fund a $1.4-million Gamma-CT Scanner for Royal Jubilee Hospital.

The foundation hopes to fundraise $375,000.

“This leading edge equipment combines two imaging technologies in one exam, which means patients receive a complete diagnosis sooner, and medical imaging waitlists are reduced for everyone,” said Alan Lowe, vice-chair of the foundation..

The Gamma-CT scanner takes two scans at precisely the same time, combining a nuclear medicine scan with a CT scan. This creates one high-resolution image that captures everything doctors need for a diagnosis in just one appointment, allowing patients to get treatment more quickly.

Royal Jubilee Hospital has the only medical imaging department on the Island with a Gamma-CT Scanner.

“To pinpoint a tumour or find the exact location of an infection or serious bone pain, a patient could previously go through two or more medical scans,” said radiologist Dr. Kevin Forkheim.

“But now, the high–definition images taken with the Gamma-CT Scanner provide a real time picture of how disease is impacting a person’s body. This means we can offer treatments or surgeries that are as precise as possible. Many people will benefit significantly from this sophisticated equipment — it allows us to become better medical detectives.”

Donations can be made by returning the direct mail letter residents will receive at home, by contacting the Victoria Hospitals Foundation at 250-519-1750 or online at victoriahf.ca