LIFE SAVING HEART TREATMENTS

ARE COMING TO SURREY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL!

Up until now, Surrey residents and those south of the Fraser (about 1 million people in total) had to travel to Vancouver (VGH, St. Paul’s) or New Westminster (Royal Columbian) to receive heart treatments in one of their cardiac catheterization labs (Cath Lab). This put us at a disadvantage, especially in those circumstances when rapid interventions were needed.

On June 7, the Minister of Health announced the following addition for Surrey Memorial Hospital:

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO ME?

Surrey likely has the greatest burden of heart disease in all of BC:

• It is the 2nd largest city in British Columbia and within the next several years, it is projected to surpass Vancouver and become the largest city in the province.

• In Fraser Health, the growth in the aging population will be the fastest and the largest of all health authorities in the province.

• Surrey boasts one of the largest concentrations of South Asian residents in North America and studies have shown that people of South Asian descent can have four times the risk of heart disease compared to the general population. They can develop the disease up to a decade earlier.

Given these factors, it is only right that we be able to diagnose and deliver life saving cardiac treatments right here, close to home.

With your help, we will be able to do just that.