Peterborough Regional Health Centre Unveil Anne Keenleyside & Family Atrium After $2 Million Donation

Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has unveiled the Anne Keenleyside & Family Atrium today in honour of a $2 million legacy gift to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation on Monday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of the PRHC.

The gift was made through Dr. Anne Keenleyside's estate, a Trent University professor of bioarchaeology who passed away in October of 2022 due to cancer. Lesley Heighway, PRHC Foundation president and CEO says the bequest has been invested in equipment and technology that support cancer care innovation, following Keenleyside’s request.

“Anne was clear she wanted her gift to connect her passion for scientific innovation with her desire to help the patients who would come after her. “Her generosity has allowed the PRHC Foundation to fund a second MRI for PRHC’s Diagnostic Imaging Department, as well as fully upgrading a general operating suite with state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgical tools – one of four undertaken by the Foundation,” she said. “By directing her bequest to the MRI and our minimally invasive surgical suites, her gift is already helping our hospital increase capacity and image quality for diagnostic scans and giving our general surgeons access to brand new, leading-edge tools to perform cancer surgeries.”

“Thanks to Anne’s investment, we’ve been able to increase our capacity, performing an additional 6,000 scans since the new unit became operational.” said Dr. Lynn Mikula, PRHC President and CEO. “Not only is this helping us address diagnostic wait times, we’re also able to produce much higher-quality images in less time while providing a significantly improved patient experience.”

Mikula added that the investment in PRHC’s general operating suites empowers the introduction of fluorescence-guided imaging. This process involves injecting contrast dyes or agents into a patient’s bloodstream prior to surgery, making their blood vessels, bile ducts, and lymph nodes light up when combined with fluoroscopy according to a press release.

“The impact of this new technology is significant,” said Mikula. “It’s already allowing our surgeons to operate with increased precision – an advancement that has tremendous implications for the treatment of bowel and other cancers.”

Heighway says the decision to name the atrium in recognition of Keenleyside’s generosity was made in consultation with the hospital and her family. It was a decision that her partner, Pat Butler, says her family and friends are very happy about.

“Anne’s gift to the hospital reflects her generous and thoughtful nature,” said Butler. “She was incredibly grateful for the expert and compassionate care she received at Peterborough Regional Health Centre and wanted to do something after she was gone to help make things better for others like her. This bequest is a gift to both her community and the healthcare professionals who cared for her after her diagnosis over 10 years ago.”

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