Physicians from the QEII’s Department of Diagnostic Imaging present a cheque for $100,000 for the StarGuide Hybrid SPECT/CT nuclear medicine scanners. (QEII Foundation)
When 40 radiology and nuclear medicine physicians in the QEII’s Department of Diagnostic Imaging donated $100,000 to help bring two world-leading nuclear medicine scanners to the QEII Health Sciences Centre, their gift inspired 848 other donors to support the project, too.
Last November, the physicians announced they would match every gift towards the project up to $100,000 until December 31. In one month, the collective efforts of QEII Foundation donors raised $358,000.
“It is fantastic to see the enthusiasm and support from the community, and I am glad that we could play a small part in contributing to the overall impact,” says Dr. James Clarke, chief of Diagnostic Imaging at the QEII.
A New Era in Nuclear Medicine
The StarGuide Hybrid SPECT/CT scanners will usher in a new era in nuclear medicine — and the QEII will be the first health centre in Canada to have this technology. It’s a game-changer that will create more accurate diagnoses and treatments, all while creating efficiencies that will reduce wait lists and scan times for patients.
With advanced technology, the scanners can find and diagnose certain diseases — like cancer and heart disease — with a precision that has never been possible before. For patients, this means more targeted treatments and better outcomes. This critical technology will impact more than 4,000 patient scans each year across many care areas of the QEII.
For Dr. Steven Burrell, head of Nuclear Medicine at the QEII, acquiring new technology is about transforming the patient experience and increasing access to care.
“As diagnostic imagers, we see firsthand the importance of medical equipment in patient clinical care. We are ideally positioned to see the limitations of existing equipment and the enormous impact the latest technology will have,” says Dr. Burrell.
A history of giving
The Department of Diagnostic Imaging has a history of generously supporting projects that directly benefit the patients they work with every day.
The group was the first to join the QEII Foundation’s $100-million We Are campaign. Their support helped create new Interventional Radiology Suites at the QEII and acquire advanced PET-CT technology for better cancer detection.
Between the two initiatives, the group inspired more than $500,000 in community giving, creating more than $1 million in impact.
“We [the physicians] recognize how important it is for advancing patient care, to the point where we are more than happy to contribute to that advancement — we’re part of the community as well,” says Dr. Clarke.
Subhead: Canada’s first StarGuide arriving at the QEII this spring
The first of the two scanners is on track to arrive at the QEII’s Halifax Infirmary later this spring.
And when the first patient is scanned on the StarGuide Hybrid SPECT/CT, Dr. Burrell and Dr. Clarke will be thinking of the support they’ve felt every step of the way from the QEII Foundation donors who rallied behind them.
“Your generosity is just weeks away from having a major impact on the care of patients. You have helped bring world-leading nuclear medicine technology to Nova Scotia, and your generosity will be felt by every patient who benefits,” says Dr. Burrell.
The QEII Foundation is still working with the community to raise funds to support the nuclear medicine project. Learn more and find out how you can get involved: QE2Foundation.ca/NucMed.
Watch Now: QEII experts, including Dr. Steven Burrell, share how your support will transform nuclear medicine, impacting more than 4,000 patients annually.
