Representatives from Tzu Chi Foundation toured Richmond Hospital in follow-up to a $50,000 contribution to help purchase two new sets of mini-laparoscopy surgical tools.
“We are very fortunate at Richmond Hospital to receive contributions from longstanding community partners like Tzu Chi Foundation,” says Natalie Meixner, Richmond Hospital Foundation President & CEO. “Their contribution helps us ensure we have the best possible tools to provide quality care for our patients.”
Mini-laparoscopy tools are used to perform minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) – operations done through small incisions. These two sets of mini-laparoscopy tools are the firsts of its kind to be acquired by Richmond Hospital and they are even smaller in size than regular MIS instruments in use today.
“We have a very talented surgical team with some of the best specialists in the province, but modern medical technology is constantly changing,” said Dr. Sharadh Sampath, head of the Department of Surgery. “This new mini-laparoscopy equipment will be particularly useful for smaller patients, offering less invasiveness, shorter examination times, and potentially fewer complications.”
Tzu Chi Foundation is a charity founded in Taiwan in 1966 and since then has expanded to 372 offices in 47 countries worldwide. Tzu Chi Canada was established in 1992, with their head office located in Vancouver. A dedication to medicine is one of its mandates.
For 25 years, Richmond Hospital Foundation has raised over $40 million in support of quality health care in Richmond.