Donation boon for cardiac care (Saskatoon, Canada)

"Royal University Hospital will be creating a state-of-the-art cardiac treatment facility thanks to a $1.5-million donation from the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation. The new facility, a cardiac electrophysiology laboratory, will deal with the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal heart rhythms, which are often fatal. Cardiovascular disease accounts for 35 per cent of all deaths in Canada - around 78,000 annually. About 50 per cent of these deaths are sudden, due to a lethal cardiac arrhythmia. Two cardiologists currently conduct electrophysiology procedures at RUH, but due to lack of a lab they can only do these procedures one day per week. The waiting list for treatment is eight to nine months long and those in need of advanced procedures must go out of province. Having a dedicated laboratory could help prolong the lives of many patients and may offer a cure to others. Picture shows Arla Gustafson, with the Royal University Hospital Foundation, giving Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation members a tour of the donation wall - Star Phoenix