New surgical tower key component to GBGH’s expanding surgical program

A group of nine people pose gathered around an operating room bed. They are all wearing gowns, scrubs and head coverings.

Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) celebrated the arrival of a new surgical video tower for the hospital’s operating room (OR) with two of the donors who contributed to purchase the $80,000 piece of equipment. Front row (from left) – Donors Michael & Sarah Thor. Back row (from left) – Dr. Eileen Sacks, surgeon and president, Medical Staff Association, GBGH; Jen Russell, development associate, GBGH Foundation; Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH; Dr. Paige Churchill, surgeon and chief of Surgery, GBGH; Lucille Perreault, vice president, Clinical Services and chief nursing executive, GBGH; Toni Whittaker, manager, Surgical Services, GBGH; and Marnie Lightfoot, director, Patient Care, GBGH.

January 30, 2019 – Staff and surgeons from Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) celebrated the arrival and first procedure of a new surgical video tower for the hospital’s operating room (OR). The $80,000 tower was purchased thanks to generous donations from Michael and Sarah Thor, as well as some of their friends and clients.

“When I required emergency surgery last summer, I was so fortunate the OR at GBGH was available,” says Mike. “I later learned that without a second surgical video tower, the second OR wasn’t functional for most procedures. Sarah and I could not imagine if I’d had to wait for surgery, so we decided to raise the funds necessary to purchase one.”

A surgical video tower enables surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures with tiny high definition video cameras and lights connected to an HD television screen. It is a critical part of surgical services at GBGH, and the purchase of a second tower had been identified as a priority by the staff, credentialed staff and leadership.

“We use the video tower for every gallbladder surgery, most appendectomies, and increasingly, for colon cancer and hernia surgeries,” says Dr. Eileen Sacks, surgeon and president, Medical Staff Association, GBGH. “It is essential equipment for any operating suite and having a reliable tower is key to growing our surgical program to provide gynecology and urology procedures locally.”

Mike and Sarah committed $10,000 personally to the project, and nine friends and clients collectively contributed $70,000. GBGH was able to purchase the tower in December and it is already in use with the surgical team.

“The passion that Mike has shown for ensuring exceptional care at GBGH is inspiring,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “We are grateful for his incredible fundraising efforts which have enhanced our surgical program for thousands of patients in our community.”