My Dad

Hello everyone,
I can't believe that it was ten years ago since I lost my Dad to colon cancer. Every time I heard the words "Princess Margaret" I would think of my Dad and our trips that we would take down to Princess Margaret for his radiation treatments. It became a routine for us that just became part of our lives for a period of time. Sometimes it was very stressful, sometimes it was very special. Sitting on the DVP for hours allows you to talk about many different things in life. After my father passed away, it took me some time to realize that driving him down to Princess Margaret daily was now no longer part of my daily routine. Obviously I missed him but I also missed the drives we had together.
On September 6th, I was fortunate enough to be invited down to Princess Margaret for an unveiling of a statue that was dedicated to the walkers and donors of the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. I was honoured to be invited but at the same time I was apprehensive about going. I had not been back to the hospital since my Dad died and like everyone else...I am not crazy about hospitals...even before I got sick. Having said that, this was too special of an opportunity to turn this down. Going to this event was one of the best things I ever did. It only reinforced what I had learned over the summer, these donations from these walks are making a real difference. I will explain more later. So I drove downtown, like I had done a hundred times before, but this time was different for some reason and I wasn't sure why and thought it was perhaps because I was invited to attend this event. But it wasn't though. I "felt" the routine again that I had with my Dad. It felt familiar and I liked it. I drove down the DVP and got off at Richmond. Why Richmond? Well, that was the way my Dad insisted we go each and every time. It was faster (in his mind). Depending on the mood he was in during our routine drives down there I would sometimes challenge his logic and say that it was quicker to keep going to the Gardner to Bay. Nope. Never. Richmond is quicker. How was I driving there even though I could of gone down the Gardner? Richmond. Maybe it is quicker. So as I get closer to the hospital I realize that in some weird way, I miss driving my Dad to his radiation treatments. I pull into the same parking lot with a little smile on my face. This is where, for the first time, I ever saw a "automated" parking garage. You know, the ones that have those pay machines now and no attendant in them. I first saw those ten years ago with my Dad and now they seem so "routine".
So it is a hot and humid day and we (Joe Wellman and I) are on University Ave in front of the hospital. University Ave, the street that honours our brave men and women who have proudly served in our armed forces now has a new addition to it. It was quite a moment for me when the unveiling of the statue happened. On this same street, a street that recognizes bravery, courage and the will of the human spirit had recognized the walkers, volunteers and donors of the Weekend. To me in addition to this, it recognized hope. Hope, like the other statues that are on this street, that one day the bravery, courage and human spirit of us, as human kind, would look back at this one day and say "remember what these people did for us". I was very proud to be there, for all us.
In the last five years the Weekend to End Breast Cancer has raised over 60 million dollars for Princess Margaret Hospital that support three key areas. I would like to share with you where this money is going because I think it is important to "see" where your donations are going. The following is the impact that the funds of had on Princess Margaret in the last five years.

- $20.5 million to The Campbell Family Institute for breast cancer research led by Dr. Tak Mak. The institute now has 11 principle investigators and a research team of over 130 strong. Because of the Walk.

-$3 million to support the first ever Weekend to End Breast Cancer Chair in Breast Cancer Research held by Dr. Tak Mak, a world renowned scientist. Because of the Walk.

-$3.4 million pledged to support a comprehensive breast imaging program and funds towards the purchase of a Breast MRI at the hospital. Because of the walk.

-over $3.4 million to purchase cutting edge research equipment and support breast cancer research activities in the Hospital research expansion at MaRS. Because of the walk.

- over $3.3 million in funding for the establishment and continued support of the FIRST comprehensive WEBC Survivorship Clinic and Program in Canada. Because of the walk.

-a newly renovated and re-designed M. Lau Breast Cancer Centre that provides complete care for breast cancer patients from screening and diagnosis through treatment and survivorship. Because of the walk.

-$1.35 million to support two Breast Cancer Tumour Banks and one corresponding database at PMH. Because of the walk.

-$250,000 to support the research into breast cancer prevention focusing on the understanding of mammographic density as a risk factor, its measurement, its causes and its significance as a biomarker of breast cancer risk. They now believe this is one of the most significant break throughs in breast cancer risk. Because of the walk.

-$1.48 million to support the pioneering of the Rapid Diagnosis pilot program recently featured in the Toronto Star. A patient went into the hospital in the morning and had her biopsy results that afternoon. This eliminates the stressful period of waiting for the results. Which can be almost the toughest part. Weeks of not knowing. This is not "routine" yet but it has been done once now and it will just be a matter of time. Like man on the moon. Routine. If it can be done for Breast Cancer other cancer diagnosis will follow just a quick. Because of the walk.

-$350,000 to support the clinical trial of intraoperative radiation therapy. The procedure delivers a one-time dose of radiation during surgery, takes less than an hour and eliminates the need for further radiation treatments. Because of the walk.

-Funding to support research into T cell activation and tumour immunity, leading to important alternatives for breast cancer treatment by harnessing the body's own immune system to target cancer cells. Because of the walk.

For me, it was great to actually be able to hear and see the positive effects your donations are having. This survivorship centre is a world leader and the first of any country in the world. It is a beautiful area of the hospital that centres on helping the patients and survivors through the whole process of dealing with diagnosis and treatment as well as the financial and psychological effects of beating this disease. Other hospitals from around the world come and visit this centre to learn from it. The breast density studies may be the earliest indicators that we now have for early detection. The survival rate is now at 86% for patients to live at least five years now. That is a huge increase from just a few years ago. In talking with some of the doctors at lunch, you could hear in their voices and see it in their eyes, we are at the top of a wave in research and over the next 10 to 20 years we will see many advances for prevention and survival of this disease. Many people will say "when will we find a cure for cancer?"...well the truth is we have found many already. If one of our greatest Canadians, Terry Fox, was alive today the doctors said that he would not of lost his leg and chances are he would of not died from this disease. This is just one example there are many more.
As I was on my way out from the hospital I stopped in the lobby and looked around. I remembered the first time my Dad and I walked into that lobby and how impressed we were with it. It was a really unique concept and design. It is very open and airy and does not really have that "hospital feel" to it. I know that this is more popular and common today but at that time it was like the building was telling you something...you are here because of this illness and it is stressful and maybe depressing but the place you have to go to does not need to be. As an architect this is what you try to achieve...as a reader of this though you may just think I am nuts! I walked to my car and paid the automated machine and smiled. My routine had been the same that day and it felt as maybe my Dad was with me but there was one big difference in the routine. This was a new start to a new routine...making a positive difference for the people who would be walking through those doors day after day. I will still take Richmond the next time I go to Princess Margaret...just for that familiar feeling...but I will always think the Gardner would be faster.
With love and thanks,
M.J.