Credit
Matthew Manor
Cancer patients across southeastern Ontario will benefit from even greater access to leading-edge, surgical care thanks to a generous $300,000 investment from CIBC in support of Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) A. Britton Smith Q.C. Robotics Program.
As one of Canada’s leading robotic surgery programs, KHSC performs more than 400 robot-assisted procedures annually and is the only hospital between Toronto and Montreal offering this advanced technology. The program has transformed cancer care, with most robotic surgeries performed for patients facing colorectal, lung, prostate, kidney and gynecologic cancers.
Demand for robotic surgery continues to grow, and clinicians recognize its life-changing benefits.
CIBC's donation, made through University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF), will help ensure the program can continue to meet that demand by supporting the acquisition and renewal of advanced robotic technology, specialized surgical equipment and instruments, enabling patients to benefit from the latest innovations in minimally invasive surgical care.
“Robotic surgery allows us to perform complex cancer operations through very small incisions, which means less pain, less trauma to the body and significantly faster recovery times for patients,” said Dr. Sunil Patel, surgical lead for KHSC’s robotic surgery program. “Instead of spending a week in hospital after a major operation, some patients are able to return home the next day. It’s a remarkable advancement in surgical care.”
Using high-definition visualization and highly precise robotic instruments, surgeons can operate with exceptional accuracy in areas of the body that are difficult to reach through traditional methods. The result is greater precision, shorter hospital stays and improved patient outcomes.
“CIBC believes in a world where cancer is no longer a barrier to ambition,” says Karine Abgrall-Teslyk, SVP, Region Head, Ontario East and West Region. “To help us achieve this vision, we partner with organizations that deliver research, treatment, screening, and diagnosis, as well as cancer initiatives that prioritize prevention and early detection. We’re proud of our partnership with KHSC and its incredible A. Britton Smith Q.C. Robotics Program, which is helping advance surgical innovation in cancer care.”
The gift comes at a pivotal time as KHSC continues building capacity within its robotic surgery program. A second robotic platform was recently added and the exisiting robot received an upgrade, allowing more surgeons to be trained and more patients to access this state-of-the-art care.
“The foundation and the hospital are incredibly grateful to CIBC for this generous investment,” said UHKF president and CEO Paul McIntyre Royston. “The biggest win is for patients. Gifts like this help deliver high-quality care to everyone and ensure more people can benefit from robotic surgery when they need it most.”
By supporting innovation in cancer care, CIBC is helping KHSC build on its national leadership in robotic surgery and ensuring more patients have access to leading-edge care surgical treatment closer to home when they need it most.
