A $3-million donation will help pay for new surgical facilities and specialized medical equipment at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals, adding to a major investment in hospital technology on Vancouver Island. The Victoria Hospitals Foundation announced Friday that the gift comes from the Robert and Devi Jawl Foundation. The contribution brings the foundation’s $43-million It’s Time for Surgical Transformation campaign to $11.7 million raised. The latest funding will support two planned hybrid operating rooms at Royal Jubilee Hospital (RJH), along with two new interventional radiology suites serving Royal Jubilee and Victoria General Hospital (VGH). Their plan is to have hybrid operating rooms combine advanced medical imaging with the equipment found in a traditional operating room. This allows surgeons to access detailed images while performing complicated procedures. The additional interventional radiology suites are expected to double capacity for the service across both hospitals. The minimally invasive procedures use imaging technology to guide treatment for conditions such as stroke, cancer and vascular disease. The Robert and Devi Jawl Foundation say its contribution reflects confidence in local physicians and their vision for the future of health care. “We believe in this cause and the vision of our local surgeons and care teams, who understand where medicine is heading and what patients on Vancouver Island will need in the years ahead,” the foundation said in a release. Victoria Hospitals Foundation CEO Avery Brohman says the contribution reflects the importance of supporting physicians as they identify new possibilities for treating patients. “Some of the most important advances in our hospitals begin with physicians seeing what could be possible for their patients, and philanthropy gives us the opportunity to help them get there,” Brohman said in the release. The investment builds on previous donor-funded advances in robotic-assisted surgery. The Victoria Hospitals Foundation report more than 1,000 procedures have now been performed at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals, with further upgrades planned through the campaign’s final phase.
