Many hospital donors defy common description.
Some don’t want to be described at all.
The Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation relies on and appreciates the generosity of corporate and individual supporters. Without community help, the world-class health care facility that is Southlake, wouldn’t be.
Some contributors, for personal or professional reasons, do not wish to be publicly acknowledged. And, while their names are unspoken, their deeds and the difference they make shouldn’t be. Case in point is a Southlake neighbour who lost a spouse to cancer. In memory of the loved one and in the hope of saving others from the same fate, this donor pledged to purchase new flow cytometry equipment for the lab.
“It all comes down to early diagnosis,” the donor said. “That’s the hot button for me and my family. I know the doctors are anxious to get this new equipment because it’s state-of-the-art. With the new cancer centre on stream and the professionals in place, it’s time to have the right equipment in place too.”
The donor toured the lab, discussing needs with staff.
“The equipment has great capacity and clarity for analysis and gives a clear picture of what you’re dealing with,” the donor said. “That appealed to me.
“When I was in the lab I was impressed with how people were working with inconvenience and in tight quarters. Still, there’s a great feel about the facility.”
Staff pathologist Dr. Richard Rinn explained the lab is currently crowded as a result of Southlake’s redevelopment. Other departments have been relocated to the space until the new, expanded lab is available next year.
“The lab has lost a lot of space,” he said. “It’s natural to be encroached upon because we’re centrally located in the hospital. It can get very crowded.”
Dr. Rinn, a Southlake staff physician since 1985, met the donor.
“From my perspective, while we’re an integral part of the hospital, we’re not a high profile deparment,” Dr. Rinn said. “It’s surprising and gratifying to have an individual come forth like this. It’s a tremendous act of generosity.”
The donor’s contribution couldn’t be more timely, the doctor said. Once the flow cytometry equipment is delivered, the new dual-floor lab will be up and running in the
hospital’s west building.
“We’re an essential cog in the process of diagnosis and treatment of many illnesses, especially cancer,” Dr. Rinn said. “We provide results on various tissues. We look at, access and report our diagnosis. Sometimes, we have to confirm results within minutes. It all comes through us.”
Cytometry is tried and true technology, the pathologist said. While it has been around as a diagnostic tool for several decades, technological advancements has made the equipment exceedingly efficient and accurate.
In very simple terms, cell-containing fluids or tissue samples are broken up into single cells and held in a test tube, which is placed into the flow cytometer. The liquid containing the cells is drawn up from the test tube and pumped into the flow chamber. Cells flow through the chamber one at a time very quickly, about 10,000 cells in 20 seconds or 500 cells a second.
A small laser beam of very bright light hits the cells as they pass through the flow chamber. The way the light bounces off each cell gives information about the cell’s
physical characteristics.
“The equipment tells us if certain types of cells are present,” Dr. Rinn said. “We are able to identify a a population of cells, both malignant or benign.
“Very few hospitals have flow cytometer equipment. As a regional cancer centre, it’s a natural evolution, a natural progression, to have the machine.”
Dr. Rinn is enthused at the lab’s enhanced capabilities, adding a technologist skilled in cytometry have already joined the staff.
Our donor is looking forward to seeing the equipment, valued in the $300,000 range, installed and seeing the immediate advancements it will bring to Southlake and its patients.
“Cancer touches us all closely,” the donor said. “The hospital serves our entire community. I’m fortunate to be able to give support in my own way. But really, it’s a
collection of everyone’s efforts.”