Ensuring the best possible care for future cancer patients, Anne Keenleyside’s legacy gift of $2 million to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) is helping the hospital achieve her vision.
PRHC was able to purchase a second Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine and equip an operating room with the latest technology to allow for less-invasive procedures for patients.
Both of these investments funded by the late Keenleyside will assist in the hospital’s capacity to accommodate tremendous growth in cancer volumes, Lesley Heighway, PRHC Foundation president and CEO, told kawarthaNOW.
“She was a cancer patient herself and this special gift was made through her estate plans to ensure those who came after her had access to the best possible care,” Heighway said.
Keenleyside was a highly respected Trent University professor of bioarcheology who passed away in October 2022.
Heighway said the money is being invested in equipment and technology that support cancer care innovation, in accordance with her request.
“Anne was clear she wanted her gift to connect her passion for scientific innovation with her desire to help the patients who would come after her,” said Heighway in a media release.
“Her generosity has allowed the PRHC Foundation to fund a second MRI for PRHC’s diagnostic imaging department, as well as fully upgrading a general operating suite with state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgical tools — one of four undertaken by the foundation.”
“By directing her bequest to the MRI and our minimally invasive surgical suites, her gift is already helping our hospital increase capacity and image quality for diagnostic scans and giving our general surgeons access to brand new, leading-edge tools to perform cancer surgeries,” Heighway added.
On Monday (February 5), PRHC unveiled its atrium as the Anne Keenleyside & Family Atrium in honour of her “transformational” gift to the foundation.
Dr. Lynn Mikula, PRHC president and CEO, said the impact of Keenleyside’s legacy gift is already being felt.
“Thanks to Anne’s investment we’ve been able to increase our capacity, performing an additional 6,000 scans since the new unit became operational,” Mikula said in a media release.
“Not only is this helping us address diagnostic wait times, we’re also able to produce much higher quality images in less time, while providing a significantly improved patient experience.”
Mikula added that the investment in PRHC’s general operating suites is empowering the introduction of fluorescence-guided imaging, a process that involves the injection of contrast dyes or agents into a patient’s bloodstream prior to surgery, making their blood vessels, bile ducts and lymph nodes light up when combined with fluoroscopy.
“The impact of this new technology is significant,” said Mikula. “It’s already allowing our surgeons to operate with increased precision — an advancement that has tremendous implications for the treatment of bowel and other cancers.”
Heighway said the decision to name the atrium in recognition of Keenleyside’s generosity was made in consultation with the hospital and her family. It’s a decision that her partner, Pat Butler, said has pleased Keenleyside’s family and friends.
“Anne’s gift to the hospital reflects her generous and thoughtful nature,” Butler said.
“She was incredibly grateful for the expert and compassionate care she received at (PRHC) and wanted to do something after she was gone to help make things better for others like her. This bequest is a gift to both her community and the health care professionals who cared for her after her diagnosis over 10 years ago.”
PRHC is a regional hospital and serves patients from Peterborough, Northumberland, and Haliburton counties, along with those in the Kawartha Lakes in need of specialized care beyond what’s available at their community hospitals.
