(OTTAWA, ONTARIO) – The Ottawa Hospital Foundation officially kicked off its 20-20 Campaign today with a goal of raising $20 million in 20 months to expand The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre at the General Campus. The project will double the size of the Cancer Centre—the largest expansion in its history.

The Foundation also announced its cancer fundraising cabinet, which includes more than 30 community and business leaders. The cabinet will be co-chaired by Yves Tremblay, Chair of The Ottawa Hospital Board of Directors, and Steve West, President of MDS Nordion. Honorary co-chairs are Roger Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of Minto Developments, and Rabbi Reuven Bulka.

“We are privileged to have the support of such an incredible group of community leaders. Their dedication will no doubt be an inspiration to our community,” said Susan Doyle, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.

The launch of the 20-20 Campaign is timely. This year alone, more than 21,000 patients will rely on The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre for treatment. This represents more than 190,000 patient visits to the center – the hub of cancer care in our region. Even more staggering is the fact that despite the tireless efforts of researchers, doctors, nurses and allied healthcare providers to reduce wait times, the number of Ottawans diagnosed with cancer will continually increase in the coming years making the expansion of the Cancer Centre an imminent need.

“As Canada’s largest tertiary care hospital, The Ottawa Hospital is responsible for 80 per cent of all cancer related surgeries, 90 per cent of all chemotherapy treatments and 100 per cent of all radiation treatments in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario,” said Dr. Jack Kitts, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital. “Thousands of new patients depend on our facility and staff every year. We are committed providing those patients and their families with the best possible care and support.”

The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre at the General Campus is the second largest outpatient cancer centre in Ontario, and plays a significant role in cancer care in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. The Cancer Centre is struggling to keep up with the ever-growing demand for outpatient chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Wait times are currently among the highest in the province. By increasing the number of chemotherapy chairs from 17 to 47 and centralizing the nine radiation bunkers, wait times are expected to drop to among the lowest in the province.

The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre expansion project has already received support from the Government of Ontario. Each dollar donated to the expansion triggers a $2.30 contribution from the McGuinty government, turning every dollar into a $3.30 investment in cancer care. This partnership will cover nearly 80 per cent of the cost for this $78.3-million expansion project.

The Ottawa Hospital is a multi-campus, academic health sciences centre, serving 1.5 million residents of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, both in English and French. It provides care for more patients than any other hospital in Canada, and boasts specialty centres in cancer, heart, kidney and vision care, as well as rehabilitation services. For more information, visit The Ottawa Hospital Web site at www.ottawahospital.on.ca.

The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s mission is to inspire and enable people to support the highest quality health care at The Ottawa Hospital and lifesaving research at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. For more information, visit The Ottawa Hospital Foundation Web site at www.ohfoundation.ca.

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