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A $300,000 gift from the Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation will lead to improved access to liver testing for many Saskatchewan patients.
The corporation announced the donation to Royal University Hospital on Monday morning. The funds will support the purchase of FibroScan equipment for the hospital and will also help develop a pilot program to bring liver screening to the seven member First Nations of the Saskatoon Tribal Council.
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A FibroScan is a portable scanner used to check liver health using sound waves to measure build-ups of scarring and fat. The test, which essentially replicates a liver biopsy, can be done without sedation and with no needles, the foundation explained, and delivers results at the same appointment.
The portable nature of the scanner means the tests can be performed in the hospital or in patients’ home communities, removing the requirement for repeated trips to Saskatoon.
A FibroScan is a portable scanner used to check liver health using sound waves to measure build-ups of scarring and fat. (Royal University Hospital Foundation/Submitted)
“As a First Nations organization, we’re proud to invest in opportunities that support healthier communities and create positive change,” Mark Arcand, the corporation’s board chair and tribal chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, said in a statement.
“This partnership has the potential to bring important testing closer to home and make a lasting difference for First Nations people and communities across Saskatchewan.”
“This gift changes what we can offer patients,” added Jennifer Molloy, CEO of the Royal University Hospital Foundation.
“DDCDC recognized a need in their communities and backed it, and we are grateful for that trust and for the chance to work in partnership for the benefit of people across our province.”
The two organizations noted that chronic liver disease affects a quarter of all Canadians. The condition typically causes damage before symptoms appear, making early testing all the more important.
“A scan that takes minutes can identify the problem years earlier, while it can still be treated or slowed,” the hospital foundation explained.
