MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
September 22, 2008
(LONDON, Ontario) – London Regional Cancer Program (LRCP) at London Health Sciences Centre announced today it has temporarily suspended one section of its bone marrow transplant program.
The section - allogeneic bone marrow transplants – involves transplants between recipients and donors who come from the same family. On average, it provides the procedure to between 12 and 14 patients per year.
Though the allogeneic procedures themselves are temporarily suspended, both pre and post-procedure care will continue to take place at LRCP, and all other areas of the bone marrow transplant program will operate as usual.
LRCP is working with any affected patients to minimize disruptions to their care.
“We recognize this is a difficult and stressful situation for patients and their families and are continuing to work in conjunction with them to coordinate care at other facilities,” said LRCP Vice President, Brian Orr.
The decision to temporarily suspend allogeneic bone marrow transplant procedures was made after the retirement of an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) this summer. The APN position is a specialized role integral to the successful and safe operation of the allogeneic procedure.
Aggressive recruitment to re-staff the position continues, and once completed, will allow allogeneic transplant procedures to resume at LRCP.
About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been in the forefront of medicine in Canada for over 130 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to South Street Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital and Children’s Hospital, two family medical centres, and Lawson Health Research Institute - a joint research initiative with St Joseph’s Health Care, London. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 30 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in Southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s 10,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca
For more information contact:
Bärbel Hatje
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 75947
Barbel.hatje@lhsc.on.ca
After-hours assistance:
Call LHSC Switchboard at 519-685-8500 and ask to page the communication consultant on-call
