With the final finishing touches now in place, the new chemotherapy suite is certainly more suite-like, thanks in part to a significant donation from the KGH Auxiliary.
Patients and staff moved into the new suite on Burr 1 in early October. While most of the new equipment was in place, there were still a few items that required installation, including colour televisions at each treatment station.
The 11,350-square foot space – over four times the size of the old unit – is a bright and spacious area that is worlds away from the cramped space located in the basement of the Burr wing.
With treatment bays more than double their former size, patients and their companions can more comfortably settle in for the hours-long treatment. Now, every patient has the choice between a stretcher, allowing them to lie down if they choose, or a reclining treatment chair, most of which were purchased through a $37,750 donation from the Auxiliary.
The money was raised at the Auxiliary's 10th annual golf tournament in 2010, held in memory of longtime member Mort Abramsky, who died in 2009. Since it started, almost $375,000 has been raised through the golf tourney to buy much-needed equipment at KGH.
“Mort was a tremendous contributor to the Auxiliary and was involved in many of our fundraisers including the cash draw and the golf tournament which he helped start,” says Auxiliary President Sandy Thomas. “That's why we decided to name our 10th annual golf tournament in his honour and donate the funds raised in his name to the new chemotherapy suite.”
The Auxiliary purchased all but two of the chemo suite's new treatment chairs. Those were funded by proceeds from the 2006 Black Tie Evening.
In addition to the chairs, the Auxiliary and Black Tie also helped fund the purchase of new intravenous pumps and colour televisions for each station.
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