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
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.