More than 10,000 patients in Waterloo Region impacted by pandemic surgical backlog
More than 10,000 patients in Waterloo Region are part of the list of backlogged surgeries and procedures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
St. Mary's General Hospital has a backlog of about 7,575 patients, while Cambridge Memorial has about 2,400. Grand River Hospital has not yet provided the current number of patients impacted by the backlog.
Among those in the region waiting for procedures is a Cambridge woman who hopes the $324 million the province is committing to help Ontario hospitals tackle the backlog will speed up the process.
Sarah Hunt recently had a procedure to treat a rare nerve cancer in her arm, but before that she was in chronic pain.
"It's been a challenge living through COVID when you can't get the treatments that you need," she said.
Hunt says her good arm now has severe use injuries. The surgery to fix it is scheduled for Aug. 10 at Toronto Western Hospital after waiting since January.
"It's been delayed twice now," Hunt said.
The Ontario government's investment to clear the backlog is to help local hospitals perform more surgeries, MRIs and CT scans.
At St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener, it's still not clear how much money they will get.
President Lee Fairclough says the government is giving them leeway on how to use the funds effectively.
"Some of those creative ideas will include how can we accelerate the training for people, how can we ensure we are drawing more and more people to come and work in health care," she said.
The government says three out of four patients who were waitlisted for required surgeries between March of last year and this year received care.
Now, the push is on to help those still waiting.
"Patients should start to see more further resumption of that through the fall, and yes you will be hearing from us when we are ready to invite you in for your procedure," Fairclough said.
For Hunt, she hopes the new money means the invitation go out sooner rather than later.
"During the last year, while we've been dealing with COVID, none of these other illnesses have disappeared," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.