Mount Saint Joseph fundraising for new mammography equipment

VANCOUVER—When celebrity pop singer Pancy Fung Ping Lau found out she had breast cancer, she was devastated. 

“I was very shocked and I didn’t know, maybe I was gone. My life was finished,” Lau told The B.C. Catholic Dec. 6.

The musician, who lives in Vancouver but performs in Hong Kong, had gone to Mount Saint Joseph Hospital for a routine check-up in 2013. A few days later, the hospital asked her to come back for more tests. “Someone from the hospital talked to me and said: ‘You have to come to do an ultrasound and biopsy.’”

After the appropriate tests, Lau found out she had a very early stage of breast cancer. The tumor was only the size of a bean.

Her doctor at Mount Saint Joseph’s Breast Clinic encouraged her to have it removed right away. “The doctor was very good to me. She sat down and told me: Don’t worry,’” Lau said through tears.

Four years later, she keeps coming back to the centre for regular appointments to make sure she’s still cancer-free. She’s grateful to Mount Saint Joseph Hospital, which sees nearly 5,000 patients a year, or an average of 20 a day, for a variety of tests, treatments, and surgeries.

“We can do screening and diagnosis of breast problems in our medical imaging department and then (patients) meet with us in the Breast Centre for the clinical side and meet with our physicians and surgeons to arrange their surgery,” said Rebecca Warburton, the centre’s medical director.

“We arrange that all in this hospital, which is unique in Vancouver. We’re quite proud of that.”

Mount Saint Joseph’s Breast Centre sees an estimated 20 per cent of B.C.’s breast cancer patients. Early cancer detection is very important to its physicians, including radiologist Amie Padilla. She is looking forward to purchasing a new digital mammography machine and three detectors estimated at $900,000 to replace aging equipment.

“Many may not realize that medical machinery and equipment has a lifespan of seven to 10 years,” said Padilla.  “If you think of what kind of cell phone you had 10 years ago, it may give you a clue about why that’s so important.”

Raising funds to purchase the new unit is the goal of the Scotiabank Feast of Fortune Gala. The event, entering its 11th year, always happens around Chinese New Year and collects donations for Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. Over the last decade, the gala has raised nearly $5 million for the hospital.

“One of the reasons this event is so important is that it raises funds for equipment that is vital to the care and wellbeing to our patients,” said Padilla.

The new mammography unit she has her eye on includes new technology called “tomosynthesis” to create 3D images and is a “breakthrough” for breast cancer detection.

Catching cancer early, and supporting patients who receive that devastating diagnosis, is why Lau is enthusiastic about supporting this year’s gala. “It’s very important for a woman.”

The Feast of Fortune Gala will be held Feb. 3 at the JW Marriott in Vancouver. Donors have already contributed $90,000 ahead of the event.