Tzu Chi donates $46,000 to ERHF

"Changing lives … one cancer surgery at a time!"

Thanks to a generous donation from the Tzu Chi Buddhist Compassion Relief Foundation, the Eagle Ridge Hospital is able to practice a new life-saving surgery.

At the end of 2008, the international not-for-profit Tzu Chi Foundation made the second of two $23 thousand donations, gifting Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation a total of $46 thousand – the exact amount needed to purchase a laryngoscope. 

A laryngoscope is a revolutionary piece of medical equipment used to perform laser surgery of the upper throat. Although the procedure has been used in Europe for several years, Dr. Donald Anderson – a head and neck surgeon – was the first in British Columbia to perform the surgery in 2006.  Now on staff at Eagle Ridge Hospital, Dr. Anderson plans to perform the surgery every week with the newly purchased scope.

Traditionally, techniques used to remove throat cancer include open surgery and radiation treatment.  The new procedure has changed things dramatically.

For starters, the complications of this type of laser surgery are minimal.  The laryngoscope allows entry through the mouth, eliminating the need to cut through skin or muscle to reach the affected area. This leads to less pain and a much faster recovery.

Radiation, while helpful in combating cancerous cells, damages healthy tissue, and requires about a month of recovery time.  With this procedure patients experience a two-hour operation and are sent home the same day, or the next day. Most patients can eat the same day the surgery is complete, too.

 This procedure allows the possibility of future surgeries and treatments if necessary, whereas traditional surgery might burn those bridges, explains Dr. Anderson.  

“I am able to offer a better treatment and more options to my patients. It’s an increase in my ability to fight cancer.”

During the procedure, Dr. Anderson inserts the scope – which is a long tube-like mechanism with a miniature camera and laser attached – down through the patient’s mouth.  The microscope then displays an image on a monitor which he uses to locate the cancerous tumour. He then uses the scope to navigate towards it and evaporate the tumour using the laser technology. The tissue goes up in smoke and a smoke evacuator removes it from the body. Because of the laser’s pinpoint accuracy, the healthy tissue around the tumour remains unaffected.

“I’ve operated on five patients who had failed radiation therapy and then had the transoral laser surgery,” says Dr. Anderson.  “Before this procedure came along the larynx would have to be removed, meaning they would breathe through a hole in their neck. They would have no voice box anymore.  They could never go swimming again because the hole would cause them to drown. Because of this piece of equipment, that didn’t happen. All five of them still have a larynx.”

Up to 400 British Columbians are diagnosed with cancers of the upper throat each year. This statistic is partly why the Tzu Chi Foundation chose to dedicate their gift towards a laryngoscope.

"Tzu Chi Foundation Canada is part of a most remarkable international movement practising Buddhist compassionate relief anywhere in the world that they find need,” says David Clark, Director of the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation. 

“The Tzu Chi members earn our respect and admiration every day as they practice the teaching of Master Cheng Yen’s who so wisely instructs us that "To save the world, we must begin by transforming human hearts”.”

The Tzu Chi Foundation has been a generous supporter of the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation since 2005, helping them to buy a Cystoscope for the OR in 2006 and a defibrillator for the Emergency in 2007.

“We benefit from the Tri-Cities community and so we must also give back to it,” says Anita Kwong, Tri-City Regional Director of the Tzu Chi Foundation in Canada. “We are very proud to support this community hospital which looks after such a large population.”

The Tzu Chi Buddhist Compassion Relief Foundation was founded in 1966 and has since provided aid to 57 countries in five continents.  More than 30 million ambassadors, worldwide, work to contribute to better social and community services, medical care and education.  

Kwong says helping patients experience less pain and suffering during a time of illness is part of the Tzu Chi Foundation’s mission to spread compassion.

”We feel very grateful to be able to fund such pieces of equipment for this hospital, and for the patients that will benefit.”

Photo 1    Dr. Anderson answers questions about the larygoscope
Photo 2    Dr. Anderson explains how the larygoscope demonstration will work
Photo 3    A member of the Tzu Chi Foundation holds a wooden tongue depressor which says "Tzu Chi".  Dr. Anderson wrote those words using the laser from the larygoscope to demontrate the laser’s precision!

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