Spirit Day targets cardiac care

“We’re expanding our heart device programs to do two types of additional procedures,” says Dr. Yaser Ahmed, Regional Lead for Cardiac and Stroke Services. “Implantable cardioverter defibrillators, which are devices implanted in patients who have fatal and serious heart rhythm conditions, and cardiac resynchronization therapy, which are devices implanted in patients who have heart failure and are experiencing conduction delays.”

It adds to the services provided in the North and it makes us a bit unique.

“Prince George is going to be the second city outside of the Lower Mainland, and Victoria to deliver this service, and it’s going to be the sixth hospital across the province that is providing this care for patients,” says Dr. Ahmed. “And this is very important for our patients to access service locally close to home.”

It comes with a relatively small bill of $31,000. The Lion’s share of the fundraising will be for a new electro diagnostic emit, which is essentially a giant server at a cost of $830,000.

“This does not only impact local patients, this impact all patients across the North. Anybody who gets an EKG or a Holter test or a stress test, this is where their, test results are processed and stored and shared with patients and also shared amongst providers.”

But cardiac care equipment isn’t the sole item on the wish list. The hospital wants to replace an outdated urology surgical laser at a cost of $197,000.

Spirit Day kicks off in earnest on Tuesday, May 5, and if you’re looking to play your part in adding to critical health care in the region, visit the Foundation’s website at www.spiritofthenorth.ca

by Cheryl Jahn

Spirit Day targets cardiac care

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