WASHINGTON, DC March 23, 2006 – Stem cells can repair damaged spinal tissue and help restore function in rats with spinal cord injuries, according to a new study. The findings may eventually lead to insights that result in new treatments for humans with spinal cord injuries.

Michael Fehlings, MD, PhD, and his colleagues at the Krembil Neuroscience Center at Toronto Western Research Institute and the University of Toronto also identified a critical window during which stem cell transplants may be effective, says the study, which appears in the March 29 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

“This work breaks new ground by showing that therapeutically useful stem cells can be derived from the adult brain of rodents, and that these cells can be caused to differentiate into the types of cells that are useful for repairing the damaged spinal cord,” says Oswald Steward, PhD, director of the Reeve-Irvine Research Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the University of California, Irvine.

Fehlings’ team used cells from the brains of adult mice labeled with a fluorescent marker, enabling them to trace the cells after they were transplanted into rats whose spines had been crushed. Stem cells transplanted up to two weeks after the initial injury survived thanks to a cocktail of growth factors and immune-suppressing drugs the team developed. More than one-third of the transplanted cells traveled along the spinal cord, were incorporated into damaged tissue, developed into the type of cell destroyed at the injured site, and produced myelin, an insulating layer around nerve fibers that transmits signals from the brain.

An injured spinal cord loses its ability to regenerate myelin-forming cells, leading to paralysis. Fehlings showed that where stem cells restored myelin in the injured spine, rats showed some recovery and walked with more coordination.

One new aspect demonstrated by the study is that “the maximal effect of transplanting these cells is early after injury,” says New York University School of Medicine professor Moses Chao, PhD. “The timing of neural stem cell application therefore is critical to successful therapy in the injured spinal cord.” One focus of future research will be to determine the reason why stem cells transplanted weeks or months later fail to function or sometimes even survive.

Each year, some 11,000 Americans sustain spinal cord injury, most often in traffic accidents. Costs of the condition approach $10 billion per year.

The Journal of Neuroscience is published by the Society for Neuroscience, an organization of more than 37,500 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.

It took months of medical, surgical, psychosocial and ethical consideration, but Kevin Gosling eventually got the go-ahead to make an anonymous living-liver donation – the first ever in Canada. On April 20, Dr. Gary Levy, Medical Director of the Multi Organ Transplant program at University Health Network, introduced Kevin at a media conference and honoured him for giving the gift of life.

The process began last year, when Kevin first approached Toronto General Hospital physicians and asked if he could donate a portion of his liver anonymously to someone waiting for a liver transplant. “We believed that we owed it to the donor to consider his request,” said Linda Wright, UHN's bioethicist. “Once the decision was made to evaluate him, we needed to be sure that the donor was making an altruistic donation, and that this was a well-informed choice by a healthy person who posed a low surgical and psychological risk.” “Although we were inspired by Kevin's generous gesture and impressed by his persistence and strong commitment to donation, the assessment process was extremely cautious,” said Dr. Levy. “Kevin was given many opportunities to opt out, but he never wavered.”

The recipient of Kevin's donation was a 10-year-old child who is now living a healthy and normal life. Patients waiting for a liver transplant can wait anywhere between one and four years before a liver becomes available. Kevin decided to go public with his story to emphasize that for some, this may be an option to give hope and life to person waiting for a liver.

Rock and roll's Golden Boy Sir Bob Geldof is coming to Toronto on October 25, 2006 to officially open the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine - an innovative research centre fueling the future of medicine - where the body's own cells, tissues and DNA are used to heal the body without invasive procedures and medications, truly 'patient heal thyself'.

Sir Bob Geldof will also be the guest of honour at an exclusive dinner in the home of Rob and Cheryl McEwen. The McEwens made a leadership gift of $10 million to establish the Centre and support leading-edge Regenerative Medicine research at University Health Network.

Visit www.mcewencentre.com for more information about Regenerative Medicine.

Toronto, Ont. (May 30, 2006) – Mr. Philip Orsino, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of University Health Network (Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret Hospitals) and Dr. Robert Bell, President and CEO today announced that the Peter Munk Charitable Foundation is donating $37 million to the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC) at Toronto General Hospital. The Munk donation represents the largest single gift ever made to a Canadian hospital.

“Mr. and Mrs. Munk’s extraordinary vision and gift will transform the Centre into the premier cardiac centre of the future with the latest diagnostic and intervention facilities,” said Mr. Orsino. “It will stand as a beacon of hope and compassionate care for many generations to come.”

The gift funds a new program and facility that will revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease and includes the purchase of state of the art imaging equipment, some of which is not currently available elsewhere in North America. The donation will establish PMCC as a world leader with the latest diagnostic and interventional facilities. The Munk gift enables clinicians, educators and researchers at PMCC to create the cardiac program of the future.

“Bob Bell and his team have put together an exceptional plan that maximizes the integration of minds and technology under one roof, solidifying our role here in Canada as the North American leader in the treatment of cardiovascular disease,” said Peter Munk. “I am very pleased and proud that I have been able to support in a very tangible way this great Canadian institution and its role as a world centre for cardiac research and treatment.”

The PMCC, supported through gifts totaling $45 million from Peter Munk, is now approaching its tenth anniversary. Toronto General Hospital plans to refocus the PMCC with the development of a well-defined, integrated entity to be called the I³ Centre (representing imaging, intervention and innovation).

The new resources will facilitate diagnosis of cardiac problems through less-invasive methods and will allow the development of less-intrusive treatments. The new Centre will contribute to the efficiency of care and better outcomes for patients from around the GTA and across the province.

“Peter Munk invested in the physical facility which bears his name and now his incredibly generous gift gives us the ability take a giant leap forward in cardiac diagnosis and treatment,” said Dr. Bell. “We have the multidisciplinary team of experts who are poised to evaluate and apply this new technology, thereby developing the cardiac program of the future.

“Peter Munk’s $37 million gift is the crowning achievement of the UHN’s $500 million fundraising campaign – Together We Make Life Better - which is now well over our target,” Dr. Bell added. “The staff at PMCC is extremely excited about the new opportunities for research and patient care which will serve as a magnet to attract and retain the finest clinicians and researchers from everywhere on the globe.”

"Peter Munk's long history with Toronto General Hospital is a testament to his acute sense of public duty and service," said George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. "His vision for cardiac care will benefit Ontarians with access to cutting-edge technology and the work in the PMCC will provide the Province of Ontario with an International Centre of Excellence where we can evaluate and implement new technologies and clinical procedures."

New developments in minimally invasive cardiac procedures will take full advantage of next generation equipment’s precise imaging and will likely improve efficiency of care. The PMCC with its new I³ facility is supported by the provincial government as an evaluation centre for this imaging and intervention technology.
Cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) is the leading cause of death and disability in Canada, causing over one-third of all deaths. Although death rates have declined during the 1990s, the actual number of deaths among men and women has remained steady since the mid-1990s.

Peter Munk Cardiac Centre
The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC) is the premier cardiac centre in Canada. Since it opened in 1997, the PMCC has saved and improved the lives of cardiac patients from around the world. Each year, approximately 17,000 patients receive the innovative and compassionate care from the PMCC multidisciplinary heart team. The PMCC is based at Toronto General Hospital – a member of University Health Network, which also includes Toronto Western Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital. All three are teaching hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation
Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation raises funds for research, education and the enhancement of patient care at Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital as well as their respective research arms, Toronto General Research Institute and Toronto Western Research Institute. The Foundation’s vision is to enable global leadership and innovation in health by developing and sustaining strong relationships with University Health Network stakeholders.

With today’s gift of $37 million from the Peter Munk Charitable Foundation, the funds raised for the Heart Campaign total $107 million – well over an ambitious goal of $100 million.

Co-Chaired by TD Bank Financial Group President and CEO Ed Clark and Linda Goldsack, the Heart Campaign was a major part of University Health Network’s $500 million Together We Make Life Better Campaign – the largest fundraising campaign in Canadian hospital history.

A significant number of major gifts, a Brazilian Carnival Ball and a stellar Campaign Leadership and Cabinet marked the highlights of an exceptional campaign in support of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. Covering the full spectrum of needs – research, equipment and facilities, and patient care – the Heart Campaign has helped make life better.

Some examples of major gifts to the Heart Campaign include:

Facilities

• The DeGasperis Conservatory
• Joseph Burnett Cardiovascular Surgical Unit
• Reuben & Florence Fenwick Coronary Intensive Care Unit
• Giovanni and Anna DeGasperis Lounge
• Alex and Simona Shnaider Cardiology Inpatient Unit
• Steven K. Hudson Pre Operative Unit

Chairs

• The Melanie Munk Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery
• Angelo & Lorenza DeGasperis Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery Research
• Alfredo & Teresa DeGasperis Chair in the Surgical Management of Heart Failure
• Antonio & Helga DeGasperis Chair in Clinical Trials and Outcomes Research
• R. Fraser Elliott Chair in Cardiac Anaesthesia
• The Robert R. McEwen Chair in Cardiac Regenerative Medicine
• RBC Financial Group Chair in Cardiovascular Nursing Research

Professorships

• The Bitove Professorship in Adult Congenital Heart Disease
• The Reuben & Florence Fenwick Family Professorship in the Medical Management of Heart Failure
• The E.D. Wigle Professorship in Cardiology Research
• The Brompton Group Professorship in Interventional Cardiology

Fellowships

• St. George's Society Fellowship in Adult Congenital Heart Disease
• G. Raymond Chang Fellowship Program for Physicians from the West Indies

The commitment of these donors creates a base from which to recruit and retain the leading researchers and clinicians in their field from around the globe.

Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation raises funds for research, education and the enhancement of patient care at Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital as well as their respective research arms, Toronto General Research Institute and Toronto Western Research Institute. The Foundation’s vision is to enable global leadership and innovation in health by developing and sustaining strong relationships with University Health Network stakeholders.

Healing the Heart with Bone Marrow Cells
‘This is the first step in repairing the heart and in preventing the vicious downward spiral of heart
failure in which the heart progressively thins and dilates, eventually causing death.’

(Tuesday, July 4, 2006, Toronto) – Researchers at the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Toronto General Hospital have discovered the ‘SOS’ distress signal that mobilizes specific heart repair cells from the bone marrow to the injured heart after a heart attack.

While it has long been known that bone marrow cells have the ability to clear the dead tissue after a heart attack, what has not been known until now is the critically important role of bone marrow adult stem cells in repairing a damaged heart, restoring its function and enhancing the growth of new blood vessels.

“These cells act like generals in a battlefield, explained Dr. Shafie Fazel, cardiac surgery resident at TGH and lead author of the study entitled, “Cardioprotective c-kit+ cells are from the bone marrow and regulate the myocardial balance of angiogenic cytokines,” published yesterday in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. “When damaged heart tissue sends out an ‘SOS’ distress signal, this subset of bone marrow cells mobilizes quickly and stimulates the growth of new blood vessels in the heart. This is the first step in repairing the heart and in preventing the vicious downward spiral of heart failure in which the heart progressively thins and dilates, eventually causing death.” Despite advances in surgical procedures, mechanical assistance devices, drug therapy, and organ transplantation, more than half of patients with congestive heart failure die within five years of initial diagnosis.

“Cardiovascular diseases are the most important cause of mortality in Canada and the western world,” said Dr. Ren-Ke Li, scientist at the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Toronto. “Each year, 70,000 Canadians suffer from a heart attack and many of them are left with crushing disabilities, mainly because the heart muscle is not able to regenerate after a heart attack. This study identifies the method the body employs to repair the heart and provides new therapies to stimulate cardiac regeneration and prevent heart failure in patients who have suffered a heart attack,” noted Dr. Li, who is also a Canada Research Chair in Cardiac Regeneration. The research was performed in Dr. Li’s laboratory.

Dr. Li’s team used genetically-engineered mice in which bone marrow cells were modified to carry a green fluorescent marker allowing researchers to easily track them. The researchers

demonstrated that these bone marrow cells are quickly mobilized to the damaged heart region following a heart attack. Once in the damaged area, the cells produce chemicals that trigger the growth of new blood vessels—an important step in repairing the injured heart.

The research also demonstrated that a specific molecule, called c-kit, which is located on the surface of a subset of bone marrow cells, plays a central role in this mobilization. The molecule c-kit is the ‘switch’ that needs to be turned on by the ‘SOS signals’ sent by the damaged heart. By binding to another molecule called the stem cell factor – much like a lock and key -- the “turned on” c-kit activates the bone marrow cells to migrate to the heart to help stimulate new blood vessel growth.

"Heart failure affects one in five Canadians in a lifetime, and commonly occurs after a heart attack.  The results of this study have the potential to benefit thousands of Canadians after a heart attack," said Dr. Peter Liu, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health.  "By understanding the functions of the c-kit cells and their involvement in heart repair, we can bring brand new treatments for heart attack to this dangerous situation." Dr. Liu is also the Director of the Heart & Stroke/Richard Lewar Centre of Excellence.

In the study, mice with defective c-kit bone marrow cells, could not mobilize these cells to race towards the injured site and regenerate the injured heart. Their heart function was dramatically impaired and, 42 days after a heart attack, their hearts dilated to twice the size of the normal mouse heart. However, the heart function of the c-kit defective mice could be restored to normal by restoring the c-kit cells in their bone marrow, confirming the importance of these cells in repairing the heart. This suggests that a similar treatment of an infusion of bone marrow cells after a heart attack may prevent progression of heart failure in patients who survived a heart attack.

The study may explain why some patients have mild heart attacks and others develop progressive and potentially fatal congestive heart failure. “We know that the number of c-kit positive cells decreases with age and that elderly patients don’t recover from heart attacks as well as younger patients. The key for the older patients would be to find new ways to restore this particular subset of cells in their bone marrow,” said Dr. Fazel.

“These findings have very important implications,” noted Dr. Richard Weisel, Director of the Toronto General Research Institute, Professor and Chairman of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Toronto and co-author in this study. “Based on the knowledge we gained from this study, we can now design new strategies to enhance normal repair and regeneration for patients who suffered a heart attack.” This concept is central to the exciting new field called regenerative medicine which aims to restore, repair and regenerate damaged organs rather than merely treating the symptoms of disease.

According to Dr. Weisel, “One treatment resulting from this discovery was to inject cells genetically modified to release large amounts of stem cell factor into the region of the heart injured by the heart attack. These cells increased the ‘SOS’ signals from the heart and enhanced the intrinsic regeneration of the heart and restored function nearly to normal. These results were recently published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.”

This work was supported by The Heart and Stroke/Richard Lewar Centre of Excellence, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Physician Service Incorporated. Shafie Fazel receivedsupport from the McLaughlin Centre for Molecular Medicine and is a CIHR/HSFO TACTICS fellow (Tailored Advanced Collaborative Training in Cardiovascular Sciences) in the surgeon/scientist program at the University of Toronto.

About Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network
Toronto General Hospital is a partner in the University Health Network, along with the Toronto Western Hospital and the Princess Margaret Hospital. These teaching hospitals are affiliated with the University of Toronto. The scope of research at Toronto General Hospital has made this institution a national and international source for cardiovascular discovery, education and patient care, as well as for its innovations in transplantation, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, diabetes and genomic medicine. In addition, the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at Toronto General Hospital trains more cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons than any hospital in Canada.

About the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine
The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine was established in 2003 with a generous donation from Rob and Cheryl McEwen. Its mission is to be a catalyst for regenerative medicine research by facilitating collaborations and promoting research and awareness in the field of regenerative medicine. The McEwen’s Centre ultimate goal is to accelerate the development of better, more effective treatments for life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and spinal cord injury. The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine is fully affiliated with the Toronto General Hospital of the University Health Network.

No less than 22,000 Canadian women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. In August 2004, I was shocked when I was told that I did too.

Being a doctor and counselor made people think that for me it must somehow be different – that I must surely have the medical answers to calm my fears. But I did not find it easier to cope with the feelings that spun around me. Yes, I readily understood the technical language of treatment options and side effects, but the emotional anxiety over decisions that had to be made was no less intense for me.

Among the difficult choices was whether or not to have both my breasts surgically removed. Breast reconstructive surgery would help me look normal again – I knew I could elect to have it done. I also knew it would be a long, often difficult journey.

Six months after my diagnosis I went ahead with a bilateral mastectomy. For my breast reconstruction, I was fortunate to have one of Canada’s experts in plastic surgery, Dr. Joan Lipa, Department of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Toronto General Hospital.

Thanks to Dr. Lipa’s skill, today I feel like the old me. But many women in Ontario are completely unaware that breast reconstruction – a profound physical and emotional healing option following breast cancer – is even available to them.

There is an answer. Click here to find it.

Proceeds from Liz Maxwell’s book support Liver Transplant Research at Toronto General Hospital.

“Stories From Her Journey” is a newly published collection of essays reflecting the life of a remarkable woman – a teacher, mother, volunteer and liver transplant recipient.

Liz and four friends met in a creative writing course and continued to share their work at regular meetings in Toronto. Winter and summer Liz drove the two hours from Fenelon Falls, always with a fresh piece of writing.

She wrote of her father’s experiences on the HMCS Labrador’s maiden Arctic voyage, her encounter with the ‘Oak Island mysteries’, and on skiing, cycling, prom dresses, refugees and making latkes.

Among her most powerful essays were the ones about being the recipient of a liver – from the anxiety of waiting, her determination to live, and later, after her successful operation at TGH, her joy at winning a medal at the World Transplant Games.

After Liz’s untimely death in summer 2005, it became the goal of Semi-Detached Press to publish her stories. We are Liz’s friends. Please carry forward her memory and message to ‘Be an Organ Donor’ – it will help keep others like Liz on their life journey.

‘Stories from her Journey’ is available from Semi-Detached Press, Toronto.
Please send your orders to semi-detachedpress@sympatico.ca

$20 per copy plus shipping. To make a gift directly to the Liver Transplant Research fund, click on the donate link below.

Note: all UHN Finding the Answers programs can be viewed online via our video stream.
Click here to watch!

Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation is pleased to announce the airing of the exciting collaboration between Rogers Television and University Health Network on the six-part television series, "Finding the Answers."

Each show in the series centres on a different program grouping at UHN and the outstanding life saving techniques used by some of the world’s finest medical professionals. Advancements in the field of organ transplantation, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neuroscience, diabetes and arthritis are highlighted through the moving stories of six patients with complex medical conditions and how they received a new lease on life through the ground-breaking research and unique treatments at UHN.

The idea originated from Honorary Campaign Co-chairs, Ted and Loretta Rogers whose generosity of airtime and production services has helped bring UHN a step closer to realizing its goal of global leadership and innovation in health. The creative impetus and planning involved in this show was generated through the combined partnership of UHN’s medical personnel, six patients, staff and the Rogers Television production crew.

Air times for the series this fall are:

• Mondays: 4:00pm
• Tuesdays: 12:00pm
• Wednesdays: 9:00am & 7:00pm
• Fridays: 7:00pm

Show #1 - Transplant: A young girl whose lungs are destroyed by cystic fibrosis receives a double lung transplant that saves her life.
On air from September 18, 2006

Show #2 - Cancer: How early detection helps curb the spread of lung cancer.
On air from September 25, 2006

Show #3 - Heart: A mechanical heart keeps a heart attack victim alive until a donor organ becomes available.
On air from October 04, 200

Airdates for the final three shows will be announced in the near future...
Show#4 - Neuroscience: A patient with a complex brain aneurysm is treated with surgery and embolization.
Show#5 - Diabetes: The Insulin Pump that changed the life of a diabetes patient.
Show#6 - Arthritis: A new drug dramatically improves the health of a young patient with painful ankylosing spondylitis.

Click here for a detailed synopsis of each show from Rogers Television.

Rogers Television is seen in Toronto on cable channel 10, except in Scarborough where it is on cable channel 63. For details and program listings visit www.rogerstelevision.com.

The potential to repair injured spinal cords, replace damaged heart tissue, grow new insulin-producing cells, and target cancerous cells are some of the exciting areas of research for University Health Network’s (UHN) McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine (MCRM), announced Dr. Gordon Keller, founding Director and leading stem cell scientist at the official opening in the Toronto Medical Discovery Tower at MaRS. The official opening began with a scientific symposium with leading stem cell scientists.

Regenerative medicine is an emerging area of science with the potential to transform the delivery of patient care by harnessing the remarkable potential of stem cells to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs. Scientific breakthroughs in regenerative medicine could eventually lead to more effective treatments for patients suffering from a number of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s Disease. A unique feature of regenerative medicine is its interdisciplinary nature, drawing expertise from a range of areas including developmental biology, stem cell biology, genetics and organ transplantation

“UHN has a long, proud history of advancing the field of regenerative medicine, beginning with the discovery of the very existence of stem cells more than 40 years ago by Drs. Till and McCulloch,” said Dr. Christopher J. Paige, Vice President of Research at UHN. “Under Dr. Keller’s stewardship and with our pool of scientific and clinical talent cutting across many disciplines, I believe the MCRM will significantly add to Canada’s strength as a leading hub for scientific research.”

Some of the exciting research underway at UHN includes:

• Discovering the “SOS” distress signal that mobilizes specific repair cells from the bone marrow to the injured heart after a heart attack.
• Pioneering approaches to use stem cells to repair damaged spinal tissues and help restore function in rats with spinal cord injuries.
• Targeting stem cells responsible for acute myeloid leukemia in mice.

To launch the MCRM, Sir Bob Geldof – a renowned visionary who has dedicated his life to raising support and awareness about world hunger and poverty – met with a team of leading scientists and toured the lab facilities to learn about regenerative medicine’s breakthrough potential.

“Every one of us can make a difference in somebody else’s life,” said Sir Geldof who has received several prestigious awards for his humanitarian work, including six nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Nobel Man of Peace Award, Rose d’Or Charity Award, and the Holocaust Museum Houston’s Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award. “It’s exciting to hear how these scientists and clinicians are pushing the envelope to develop new treatments that may, one day, tackle some of the world’s debilitating diseases. Their vision is global and inspiring.”

“Sir Bob Geldof is a global visionary who has demonstrated how the power of one individual can lead to major change,” said Rob McEwen, founding donor. “His humanitarian work is impressive. We are delighted that he could be here today to share his insights with us.”

Broadcast Coverage

• CityNews: Bob Geldof In T.O. Boosting Stem Cell Research
• CBC News: Stem cell research centre attracts leading scientist back to Canada
• CTV News: Bob Geldof helps open Toronto research centre

Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation has a dedicated patron in Her Royal Highness The Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex who spent 3 days visiting various sites at the Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital.

This was the second visit for The Countess of Wessex’s (also known informally as Sophie) to Toronto General Hospital and first to the Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto Medical Discovery Tower.

The working visit began with a tribute dinner to the staff of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at the DeGasperis Atrium where Her Royal Highness unveiled a commemorative plaque in honour of the staff of PMCC.

Her Royal Highness was guest of honour at the launch of the R. Fraser Elliott Society held at the Toronto Western Hospital on the second day where she had the opportunity to tour the well known Krembil Neuroscience Centre.

The visit concluded with a tour of the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine followed by a meeting with several lung transplant patients and their families.

During the engagements, Her Royal Highness met with staff, physicians, researchers, patients and donors of Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals and the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation.

A major shift in the treatment of select heart patients days and weeks after heart attacks is warranted due to the results of a landmark clinical trial, says Dr. Vlad Dzavik, the study chair of TOSCA-2, director of the cardiac cath lab and interventional cardiology at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at Toronto General Hospital. The study showed that stable patients who have blocked arteries in the days and weeks after a heart attack do not need angioplasties and stent procedures, unless they have further chest pains despite medical therapy. The study looked at 381 Canadian and international patients who had blocked arteries three to 28 days after a heart attack, over the span of six years. It is part of the largest randomized, controlled trial on the efficacy of late interventions after heart attacks.

Dr. Dzavik, who is also Brompton Group Professor in Interventional Cardiology at the University of Toronto, said that -- contrary to current practice and treatment bias - there is no benefit to opening a closed artery late, i.e. days to weeks after the heart attack. "These results will have major impact on the care of heart attack patients who are stable after their attack," he said, adding that "based on this latest new evidence, the need for many stenting procedures performed in Canada every year in these patients will be reduced. In fact, medical therapy alone can help these patients. "

However, it should be emphasized that this therapy is beneficial when performed quickly after heart attacks and patients should seek medical attention if they experience chest pains or shortness of breath .

Buy your favourite books, toys and DVDs through UHN’s Indigo website and support patients at our hospitals

Good news for book lovers and all those hoping to make a difference this festive season. University Health Network has teamed up with Indigo Books and Music Inc. to launch a unique offer. Beginning December 2006, Indigo will donate a portion of its online sales that come through the www.uhn.ca/indigo website, to support UHN’s patient education programs.

The alliance is aimed at assisting Canadians make informed and educated choices about their overall health. UHN has always worked to be at the forefront of the healthcare industry and shared many world and Canadian firsts and consistently provided the latest medical breakthrough information. With the support of Indigo, this wealth of knowledge will be dispersed across the country and the world.

The Patient Education Network (PEN) at UHN develops print and online materials to help patients and families learn more about illnesses and treatment. The incremental funds from Indigo will support these activities and help PEN build a growing library of services, brochures, and materials.

When you enter the Indigo website through www.uhn.ca/indigo, 8.5 per cent of your book, music, and DVD purchases, before tax and shipping charges, will be donated to UHN (some conditions apply, so visit the website for full details). Indigo has also agreed to donate 6 per cent of all toy purchases made through the website address to this program. Purchases of used books, iPods, and gift certificates are not included in the program.

Here’s how to participate:

• Go to www.uhn.ca/indigo
• Click on “Go to indigo.ca”
• Click on “Yes” on the transition page to go to Indigo.ca
• Shop online as you normally would

We encourage you to “Bookmark” www.uhn.ca/indigo in your Favourites list, and please feel free to share this link with friends and family members who might be book shopping too—the donation applies to any purchases made through this website.

This is the first time a Canadian hospital has worked with a major bookseller to improve the quality of its patient-centered programs. It is the start of a long-term alliance between UHN and Indigo to support improved health and wellness information for patients and the public.