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University Health Network Gets Funds For Expansion

TORONTO: Health care services at University Health Network (UHN) will be expanded with an investment of $17.7 million by the Ontrario Government. This investment includes up to $5 million to plan for Canada’s firstever hospital-based proton beam therapy facility, which will provide innovative lifesaving cancer treatment to patients.

“Our government is building a stronger, more resilient health care system that ensures all Ontarians have access to the high-quality care they need and deserve,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By investing in UHN’s new proton beam therapy facility, we are bringing innovative new technology to Ontario, making it easier and more convenient for patients to receive treatment close to home.”

Proton beam therapy is an advanced form of cancer treatment that delivers radiation therapy to targeted tumour cells, reducing radiation to surrounding healthy tissues. Patients who receive this innovative treatment may have fewer long-term side effects, especially children with brain tumours and adults with certain types of cancer.

Currently, Canada does not have a hospital-based proton beam therapy facility, meaning that patients who require proton beam therapy treatment must travel to the United States to receive care. UHN’s new proton beam therapy facility will bring this lifesaving treatment to Canada so that patients can receive high-quality care when they need it provided by world-class health care professionals closer to home.

The proton beam therapy facility would include up to five treatment suites to support approximately 1,500 paediatric and adult patients annually. Ontario is working with the Proton Therapy Planning Group, a collaboration between Ontario Health–Cancer Care Ontario, the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, The Hospital for Sick Children and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre – University Health Network on further planning to help address the health care needs of patients and families.

In addition, tup to $12.1 million will be used to support UHN’s Hillcrest Reactivation Centre. The centre operates 75 transitional care beds to provide care to patients who are waiting to move from a hospital to home, community or long-term care. This funding will support key renovations and improve existing infrastructure to ensure patients can continue to receive highquality care.

• UHN encompasses the Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and Michener Institute of Education.

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2022-05-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

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