Making our funds work to help

York Central Hospital is proud to offer an extensive range of quality programs and services for the health and well-being of our community. These services may be subject to change, but as of this printing include the following.

* Continuing Care Program: Adult Day Program; Communication Disorders; Complex Continuing Care; General Geriatric Assessment and Treatment; Geriatrician Consultation Clinic; Nephrology–Dialysis; Palliative Care, Rehabilitation for Orthopaedic surgery, Cardiac-respiratory, and Neurology patients; and Skin Management.
* Emergency Medicine Program: Fast Track; 24-Hour Urgent and Emergency Care; Medical Urgent Consult Clinic; Paediatric Consult Clinic; York Region Sexual Assault Care & Resource Centre.
* Medicine Program (Inpatient): Cardiology; Intensive Care Unit (ICU); Coronary Care Unit (CCU); Dermatology; Endocrinology; Gastroenterology; General Medicine; Infectious Diseases; Nephrology; Neurology; Oncology/Haematology; Respirology; Rheumatology. (Outpatient): Arthritis Clinic; Asthma Clinic; Cardiac Rehabilitation; Chemotherapy/Oncology Clinic; Chiropody; Diabetes Education; Endoscopy; Internal Medicine Clinic; Osteopathy; Pain Clinic; Physiotherapy; Pulmonary Function; Registered
Massage Therapy.
* Mental Health Program: Acquired Brain Injury Services; Affective Disorder Clinic; After Care (medication) Clinic; Child & Family Services; Child & Family Anxiety Clinic; Crisis Intervention Services; Day Hospital; Inpatient; Neuro- Psychiatry; Psychogeriatric Clinic; Shaw Clinic (adult outpatient); Vocational Rehab Centre; York Behaviour Management Services (dual diagnosis); York Simcoe Brain Injury Services.
* Surgery Program: Anaesthesia Consult Service; Breast Cancer Resource Centre; Dentistry; Fracture Clinic; General Surgery; Gynaecology; Hand Clinic; Ophthalmology; Orthopaedics; Otolaryngology; Peripheral Vascular; Plastic Surgery; Pre-Admission Clinic; Surgical Endoscopy; Thoracic Surgery; Urology.
* Woman & Child Program: Breastfeeding Clinic; Community Speech & Language Program; Early Labour Triage Unit; Genetics Clinic; Gynaecology; Level II Nursery; Maternal Fetal Medicine Service (high-risk pregnancies); Obstetrics; Paediatrics; Childbirth Education; York Region Pre-school Speech & Language.
* York Region Chronic Kidney Disease Program: Hemodialysis; Nephrology/Renal Insuffi ciency Clinics; Peritoneal Dialysis; Inpatient and Outpatient Services.
* York Region District Stroke Centre: Access to tPA (Emergency Stroke Services); Integrated Stroke Unit and Secondary Stroke Prevention Clinic.

Cell-Based Treatment Preserves Vision in Usher Syndrome Model

Foundation Fighting Blindness receives donation from Sandy Hutchens

A research team funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness has used cell transplantation to restore vision in a mouse model of Usher syndrome type 2A (USH2A), a leading cause of combined deafness and blindness in humans. Never before has a cell-based treatment been used to save vision in an Usher syndrome study, in large part because no other Usher syndrome animal models have exhibited vision loss or retinal degeneration. The advancement is a critical step forward in developing a vision treatment for humans with the condition.

Ray Lund, Ph.D., of the Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University and lead investigator of the study, says that the USH 2A animal model exhibits slow progression of retinal degeneration, though deterioration of vision is much faster. He and his team are strongly encouraged by the fact that their cell-based treatment preserved vision in the mice well before the time their retinas would normally degenerate. Dr. Lund says that the early preservation of vision shows that the treatment might be effective as a preventive approach for humans.

David Gamm, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a scientist on the team, notes that the new USH2A model of retinal degeneration is helping researchers better understand how cell-based therapies work for a variety of retinal degenerative diseases including different forms of retinitis pigmentosa. “By using different animal models with varying disease pathways, we can better understand how these cell-based therapies are saving and restoring vision,” says Dr. Gamm. He adds that the neural stem cells used in their USH2A study are also showing promise as treatments for diseases of the central nervous system including Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The USH2A mouse model was developed by Tiansen Li, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary. It is the first Usher syndrome model in which the animal develops both vision and hearing loss.

Dr. Li and his colleagues developed the model by disrupting, or “knocking out,” both copies of the animal’s USH2A gene. The normal USH2A gene leads to the production of proteins that are necessary for cilia — tiny hair-like structures — to function properly in the retina’s photoreceptors and the cochlea of the inner ear. Cilia transport proteins and nutritional substances within photoreceptors to keep them healthy and functioning properly.

Results of the USH2A study were published in the December 3, 2009 online issue of the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.

Foundation Fighting Blindness: Envision

Learn About the Need – Why Should You Donate a Day for Africa?

Sandy Hutchens donates to CPAR

How does your donation make a difference? One of CPAR’s programs that participants supported in 2009 was the construction of rainwater harvesting tanks, handwashing stands and Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines at Haraa Primary School.

Hundreds of students and teachers now have access to clean and safe water and adequate sanitation. Watch the video below to see how donating a day for Africa can change lives.

In 2010, we want to make a real difference in Africa by fighting malaria in rural Malawi.

We want to reduce malaria-related deaths among children under five years of age, pregnant women, and people living with HIV & AIDS.

This year, we want to deliver 1400 treated bed nets to pregnant women and children under five in rural Malawi and an additional 200 bed nets to people living with HIV & AIDS. CPAR will also work with the local government and health officials to implement innovative malaria education programs focused on prevention and control.

Join the movement. Donate a Day for Africa – www.donateaday.ca