The Checkup FALL 2015
Celebrating 30 Years of impact on Health care in Wood Buffalo New microscope enhances pathology services in Wood Buffalo A new microscope funded by the Northern Lights Health Foundation has played an instrumental role in the recruitment of a second pathologist to the Wood Buffalo region. Pathology services based in the Laboratory of the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre, provides a variety of testing and clinical consultation services to the community.
in the tissue level, we make our diagnosis and then we deliver it to the clinician, and clinicians then do what is necessary to treat the patient.” Another key component to pathology is disease management. “Through our diagnostic services, we can suggest possible treatment options to the clinicians and surgeons we’re working with,” says Dr. Tutuncuoglu, who’s originally from Turkey and has lived in Fort McMurray since 2006.
“Pathology is a diagnostic service and For Dr. Osman Tutuncuoglu and Dr. Josephine Akinfolarin, a consultation service the new microscope is a welcome addition to pathology to the clinicians. services at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre. It basically looks for disease process – what does disease go through then what would be the possible consequences and possible management of According to Dr. Tutuncugolu, pathology is a service those issues,” says Dr. Osman Tutuncuoglu, Director of needed in all communities and Fort McMurray is Laboratory Services and a Pathologist at the no exception. Health Centre. “What we (pathologists) do here is to try and make the He goes on to say there are many ways for right diagnosis and with that, provide the patient with pathologists to determine a patient’s condition through the right treatment and the right management,” he their services. says. “Clinicians are experts in their field and they can assume what’s wrong with the patient but they need “For the diagnosis, there are many ways to do it – to confirm it. Without confirmation, they cannot do one is clinical pathology which you do in the anything more than a consultation to help their laboratory using chemistry, microbiology, the blood patients out.” bank and so on. Another is anatomical pathology where we look at the biopsies, and we look at the tissues and cells,” he says. “By looking at the changes Continued on next page
The Checkup
Fall 2015
“Illness and disease can progress rapidly so services such as these need to be on site in order to provide clinicians and their patients with timely information. Having the services on site also ensures clear communication between pathologists and clinicians,” says Dr. Tutuncugolu. “This practice is all about communication – discussing the patient, the findings and the right course of treatment. If a pathologist wasn’t on site, it would be very difficult for the community.”
second pathologist, Dr. Josephine Akinfolarin. With the support of the Health Foundation, the Laboratory received a new microscope which Dr. Akinfolarin now uses. According to Dr. Tutuncuoglu, a microscope is essential to the pathology practice. “A microscope to a pathologist is like a coffee maker for Starbucks or a taxi for a taxi driver! It’s absolutely essential to the services we provide. Without it we cannot function,” says Dr. Tutuncuoglu. “Everything that we do for diagnostic purposes goes through a microscope and having said that, without a microscope there’s no pathology.”
In his role, Dr. Tutuncuoglu oversees and maintains the pathology services on Dr. Akinfolarin demonstrates the new microscope in site within the Lab, ran Dr. Tutuncuoglu sees Pathology, which was funded by the Health by Dynalife. Up until many benefits from the Foundation. recently, he was the only addition of a second pathologist in the region. pathologist. While he says this was very rewarding, it has also presented its challenges. “Our services are very detail oriented. For us, we’re looking at millions of cells and if two or three of them “Since coming to the community in 2006, I’ve been are abnormal we have to catch it, so it’s great to the only pathologist here. It’s an extremely active have a second pair of eyes to consult with,” he says. discipline where the practice is always evolving which “Pathology is also like every other discipline in is challenging but very exciting,” he says. “While I’m medicine – a lot of sub-specialties are required and handing the entire pathology service myself, I am able special interests, which are important. Having another to draw upon Dynalife’s expertise to assist and consult pathologist allows us to complement one another and in areas where needed.” build on each other’s strengths ultimately providing the community with stronger services.” The Health Centre recently saw the addition of a
The Jeremy Snook Memorial Car Raffle launches in memory of young Fort McMurray man
On Tuesday, July 7, the Northern Lights Health Foundation announced Dan Soupal as the lucky winner of the Jeremy Snook Memorial Car Raffle. He drove away with a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392! The Car Raffle was held in memory of Jeremy Snook, a young Fort McMurray man who passed away at age 19. It sold out in less than three weeks and helped raise $97,000 towards enhancements to palliative care services in our community.
Dan Soupal and his family celebrate the win of a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392.
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Emergency Department team recognized by grateful patient On Sept. 17, the Northern Lights Health Foundation proudly celebrated the Emergency Department through our Honour Your Hero Program. In 2012, a Fort McMurray-based gentleman suffered a massive heart attack and credited the Emergecny team’s quick response to his situation for saving his life. As thank you for the care he received, he recently gifted $50,000 to the Health Foundation and $50,000 to the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. To learn how you can honour your health care hero, visit www.northernlightshealthfoundation.ca.
The Emergency Department team gathers to celebrate a $50,000 gift the Health Foundation received in their honour.
McHappy Day results celebrated with visit from Ronald McDonald The Northern Lights Health Foundation and McDonald’s Fort McMurray celebrated another successful McHappy Day with a special visit from Ronald McDonald to the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre on Friday, Aug. 7.
Dr. Gene Vitug and his team taking Ronald’s pulse.
Ronald’s visit began with a cheque presentation for over $24,000 raised by the McDonald’s restaurants in Fort McMurray from this year’s McHappy Day, followed by visiting people receiving care at the Health Centre. The funded raised from McHappy Day will support children with special needs in Wood Buffalo.
Staff and patients on the Medicine Unit enjoying Ronald’s visit.
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