From advanced diagnostics to leading-edge cancer treatment options, donor impact is being felt across Southlake Health.
Newmarket, ON – Beginning in January 2026, patients in York Region and Simcoe County will soon save hours traveling downtown to received enhanced prostate cancer screening thanks to a new service at Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre. Using the new PET-CT machine made possible through donations to Southlake Foundation’s HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match fundraising campaign, staff and physicians will soon offer Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography (PSMA PET) imaging, which supports earlier detection of prostate cancer and enables more personalized treatment plans for patients.
Prostate cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers among men in Ontario, with more than 9,000 new cases identified each year. While many cases are highly treatable when caught early, timely and precise imaging plays a critical role in achieving the best outcomes.
In its first two years of operation, the game-changing PET-CT technology (the first in York Region) has enabled clinical teams to complete over 5,500 studies for patients who otherwise would have needed to travel to downtown Toronto. Working together, Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre and Diagnostic Imaging teams developed the PSMA PET program to expand the PET-CT use to significantly enhance prostate cancer diagnosis and staging for patients in the communities Southlake serves.
“The introduction of PSMA PET imaging at Southlake represents a significant advancement in prostate cancer care for our communities,” said Derek McNally, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Southlake Health and Regional Vice President, Cancer Program. “With this technology, our teams will be able to detect cancer earlier and with greater precision, both of which support better patient outcomes. We are proud to offer this advanced imaging closer to home.”
Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre
Dr. Philip Mok, a Southlake radiologist and the Regional Cancer Centre’s lead interpreting physician, brings extensive expertise in PET imaging. “PSMA PET is a game changer in how we detect and manage prostate cancer,” says Dr. Mok. “It provides a level of precision that enables us to tailor treatment more effectively for each patient. This technology will be used at Southlake to benefit countless patients across in our communities.”
The PET-CT Scanner is just one of many significant upgrades made at Southlake as the result of the organization’s HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match Campaign to grow capacity and support technological advancement for Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre.
To-date, over $19 million has been raised, with landmark achievements at the Cancer Centre, because of donor investment from the community. In addition to the introduction of the PET-CT Scanner, other milestones include:
- Upgrading three replacement Linear Accelerators (LINACs) for radiation therapy, including the addition of Canada’s first Elekta Harmony LINAC, the newest model of radiation treatment machine. A fifth LINAC was also added to Southlake’s fleet to meet the accelerated demand for care. These upgrades eliminated wait-times for radiation therapy at Southlake.
- Replacing one of Southlake’s MRI machines with a new, state-of-the-art model. This new MRI, which accepted its first patient in June, will provide 8,000 scans annually. Advancements in MRI technology also mean that the new machine will produce faster, more high-quality images, as well as provide more comfortable patient experiences.
“Our Cancer Centre is consistently ranked among the top three in Ontario, and our community of donors have played an important role in supporting that achievement,” said Dr. Alisha Kassam, Physician Leader for Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre. “Donor investment has enabled our team to lead in new and meaningful ways – transforming the cancer care experience. From early detection and diagnosis to treatment and survivorship, we are ensuring timely access, clinical excellence and compassionate care at every stage.”
Dr. Alisha Kassam, Physician Leader for Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre
As the organization enters the last phase of Campaign, Southlake Health Foundation asks donors to support bringing even more leading edge advancements to the hospital, including Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to support molecular medicine for patients. NGS leverages innovative laboratory technology that looks at the genes that make up an individual’s cancer and helps to define specific treatments that particular cancer may respond to best. Currently, these tests must be sent to large academic hospitals in downtown Toronto for evaluation, meaning that patients may wait several weeks before they receive their results. With NGS testing on-site, Southlake patients could expect their results, significantly earlier, with target average of within seven days, leading to more personalized treatment plans for patients.
“When it comes to cancer diagnostics and treatment, especially advanced cancers, a matter of days or even hours can make a difference,” says Dr. Nurfiza Ladak, a pathologist at Southlake Health. “Patients who live in our communities deserve the same level of care as if they lived in downtown Toronto. If we can decrease wait times, we can provide more personalized and equitable care, something Next Generation Sequencing will enable us to do.”
Additionally, donor support will help Southlake bring more advanced, minimally invasive procedures to its Thoracic Surgery Program. Many of these procedures relate to thoracic surgical oncology, specifically treating patients with lung and esophageal cancers. Thoracic surgery has undergone significant modernization with the development of increasingly minimally invasive procedures, which means better diagnostic image quality, more efficient patient flow, and superior patient experiences and outcomes with less discomfort and recovery time.
“The thoracic surgery service at Southlake is rapidly expanding, and we have never been busier,” said Dr. Nader Hanna, a leading thoracic surgeon, recently recruited to Southlake Health. “Timely staging investigations for patients with cancer are critically important to ensure the best possible outcomes. The addition of state-of-the-art equipment will ensure more patients get the testing they need, in a minimally invasive fashion, as quickly as possible.”
Reflecting on the positive impact community donors and philanthropic organizations have had on cancer care at Southlake, and what further investment will enable, Jennifer Ritter, President and CEO of Southlake Health Foundation, is in awe.
“When I think back to when we first launched our Campaign in support of Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre, I knew we would see meaningful support because that’s what our communities do for Southlake – they step up when we need them. But to witness the ‘firsts’ that have been enabled, the positive impact on the thousands of patients and families who never have to experience the grueling travel, when anxious, exhausted, and ill, to downtown for testing or treatment, and the pioneering testing, trials and techniques our expert clinicians are able to leverage now for our loved ones, friends and neighbours, is nothing short of remarkable. We extend our sincere thanks to those caring individuals and thoughtful companies who have given so generously. As we work to close this campaign, we hope those in our communities who haven’t yet had an opportunity to support will be inspired to do so. Every donation makes an impact, and every donor is an honoured partner of Southlake Health.”
Those wishing to make a gift to the HERE is Where Cancer Meets it’s Match Campaign can do so online at: www.southlake.ca/HERE, or can connect with Southlake Health Foundation at: (905) 836.7333
