Celebrating the Arrival of New Breast Imaging Equipment 

We are always so grateful for the generosity and support from our donor community, and once again in an incredible show of support, our community came together to raise $4.5 million for the purchase of vital breast imaging equipment at Women’s College Hospital (WCH). On September 26, 2023, a special unveiling celebration was held at the Hospital as we officially cut the ribbon on this wonderful gift enabled by so many.  

“Today we celebrate our partners and our community for making this possible,” said Sara Byrnell, Vice President of Philanthropy and Partnerships at WCHF. “We are the first hospital in Canada to have this cutting-edge equipment that will enable us to detect cancer sooner, saving more lives.”  

During the summer of 2022, FDC Foundation came forward with a $2 million gift to launch the campaign to bring the new equipment to WCH. Over the course of just a few months, the community rose to the challenge to raise an added $2.5 million, with our annual donors, Women’s College Health Research Partners, the Association of Volunteers of WCH, Louise Fast, members of our 100 Women group and the estate of Karen Green all leading the way.

WCH’s Breast Centre, which specializes in cancer prevention, diagnosis and reconstructive surgeries, sees 17,000 visits annually and is one of the most comprehensive breast clinics in Ontario. With the new equipment, the Breast Centre is now able to conduct more than 6,500 breast screenings a year – an increase of approximately 1,000 screenings annually.  

Breast screening is essential to detecting cancer early and ensuring that patients receive the most timely treatment possible. The waitlist, which was compounded by the pandemic, can now be cleared in two years instead of five. In addition to being used for screening, the new equipment will also aid in vital breast cancer research at WCH. 

“These urgently needed machines offer leading-edge technology that will significantly advance our impact as a world leader in breast cancer care and research.”

Dr. Sandeep Ghai, Breast Division Head and staff radiologist in the Joint Department of Medical Imaging and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Imaging at the University of Toronto

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian women, and one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Time is of the essence with breast cancer, and the generosity of donors is helping to ensure that no breast goes unscreened.