(Photo: From L to R: Paulette Sweeney-Goodwin, managing director of the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation accepts a cheque for the lead gift of $25,000 for the new urology program at Yarmouth Regional Hospital from Lucy Melanson, immediate past-president of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 52 Saulnierville, women’s auxiliary, along with Emile Dugas and Hector LeBlanc, past-presidents of Branch 52.)
A new program at Yarmouth Regional Hospital will mean less travel for local patients.
The urology program began serving the Tri-Counties in January.
It was made possible by a $25,000 donation from members of the former Saulnierville Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.
The gift was enough to help the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation purchase the equipment needed to start the program.
Tracey Watkins-Allen, the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s western zone director for perioperative and surgical services says the NSHA recognized the need to expand the service.
“It was identified that the urology program at the Valley Regional Hospital was growing as it relates to their wait lists. The surgeons reached out and wondered if there was an opportunity to expand their service.”
Urology focuses on medical issues with the male and female urinary-tract system and the male reproductive organs.
Watkins-Allen says the surgeons come once a month for three days, Monday to Wednesday to provide surgical procedures under general anesthetic at Yarmouth Regional Hospital.
The foundation says they’ll continue to fund-raise the $82,000 needed for the program.
The NSHA says 40 percent of those on the wait list in the Valley are from the Tri-Counties.
Watkins-Allen says performing more elective urology procedures in Yarmouth will create greater flexibility to be able to handle emergency cases at Valley Regional Hospital, and reduce wait times for urology services within the western zone,
