Touched by past experiences with the London Health Sciences Centre, a London family is giving the hospital a $1-million gift.
It was announced Tuesday that the Crich family, owners of the Auburn Group of Companies, donated the funds through the London Health Sciences Foundation to help finance the latest da Vinci Si surgical system, a world-leading surgical program that is used in the hospital’s Canadian Surgical Technologies & Advanced Robotics program.
"We are making a commitment today to ensure that patients will continue to experience the exemplary care made possible when skilled and caring surgeons have access to the latest and most innovative technology," says Jamie Crich, family spokesperson.
The level of care provided by cardiac surgeons Dr. Bob Kiaii and Dr. Neil McKenzie in particular was a driving force behind the family's decision to donate.
“I can’t express my thanks enough. Without donor support like this, we would have been unable to provide care to patients with heart disease in the same way we have over the past several years," says Dr. Kiaii, chief of cardiac surgery at LHSC. "I believe that as robotic-assisted surgery continues to rapidly evolve, we will have the ability to provide even better patient care in the future.”
Crich says the family is following the example set by his late father, Don, who believed in building and investing in communities and made several charitable contributions throughout his 86-years.
Hospital officials noted that donors have funded every robotic surgical platform that LHSC has used over the years. The cutting edge technology helped the hospital attract skilled surgeons and pioneer 24 national and international medical firsts.
