Several local Shoppers Drug Mart stores have directed the $6,273 raised through their ‘Grow Women’s Health’ campaign (formerly Tree of Life) to the colposcopy clinic at Langley Memorial Hospital. The Shoppers locations included Murrayville, Aldergrove and Willoughby.
"Gifts like this ensure we have funds to provide to highest level of care to all our patients and be able to purchase necessary equipment for diagnostic testing and early cancer screenings," says Dr. Elaine Mah, clinical associate of the BC Cancer Clinic for the colposcopy clinic at Langley Memorial Hospital. "This donation will go to good use in providing exceptional care to women in our community."
This clinic, which has been in place since 1985, currently sees approximately 600 patients from communities throughout the Fraser Valley, and this number has been steadily increasing.
When a physician thinks that a woman may have abnormal cells on her cervix, further testing may be required. At that point, a referral is made to the colposcopy clinic. Colposcopy is typically done when the result of a pap test is abnormal. If an area of abnormal tissue is found during the colposcopy procedure, a cervical biopsy or a biopsy is done. In some cases, untreated cervical cell changes that cause abnormal pap tests may progress to precancerous or cancerous changes.
“We are thrilled to have such a great opportunity to invest in our local community and help the women's colposcopy clinic help more women to fight and early diagnose cervical cancer,” says Hatem Ibrahim of Shoppers Drug Mart Willoughby.
“By donating to Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, we feel that our customer’s generous donation goes to the right place. Over the last five years Shoppers Drug Mart has committed to put women's health first by contributing millions of dollars on behalf of our customers, associate owners and their store teams to local, regional and national women's health initiatives – benefitting more than 1.5 million Canadian women.”
“To achieve our goal of improving women’s health in Langley, it takes the commitment of our whole community and we thank Shoppers Drug Mart, their employees and customers for coming together and supporting us through the 2016 Grow Women’s Health campaign,” says Vivian Smith, executive director of Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation.
National in scope yet locally-based, their annual Grow Women’s Health campaign gives customers and employees the opportunity to donate directly to organizations that make a difference to women’s health in their own communities. Since 2002, this campaign has raised over $29 million, with 100% of all proceeds benefiting local Women’s Health initiatives ranging from improving services at local hospitals to supporting mental health programs. Last year, they supported over 500 charities.
Established in 1985, Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation is a partner in the care of patients at Langley Memorial Hospital and serves as a bridge between donors, the community and the hospital.