Urology centre 'huge' for Calgary
Michelle Magnan
Calgary Herald
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Calgary businessmen Brett Wilson and Daryl (Doc) Seaman have a lot in common.
Beyond their Saskatchewan roots and strong ties to Calgary's business scene, both have survived prostate cancer.
Now they're joining forces to fight the disease on a bigger scale.
Seaman and Wilson launched a funding campaign Tuesday for Calgary's newest health-care facility, the Southern Alberta Institute of Urology, which is set to begin construction in a couple of months.
The institute will bring a number of services that are now offered in Calgary under one roof and will offer patients a one-stop shop for diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for a wide range of issues, including prostate health, kidney and bladder cancers, and incontinence.
Every year, 2,400 men in Alberta are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
"This is huge," said John Dushinski, chief of urology with the Calgary Health Region. "We've been planning this (centre) for 10 years. We think this will be great for patients, to bring everything onto one site. Patients dealing with prostate cancer or any cancer have enough things to worry about."
Seaman and Wilson have contributed $5 million each toward the institute's $28-million construction price tag, which will be covered entirely by philanthropists.
Since the businessmen have taken the lead, another 15 individuals have stepped up, raising donations so far to more than $19 million.
Once the institute opens, sometime in 2010, the CHR will cover operating costs. Wilson said the goal is to raise more funds -- and awareness.
"Silence and ignorance will kill you," said Wilson. "Information never will."
To help spread the word, Wilson and Seaman invited famed doctor Patch Adams to their campaign launch Tuesday.
Dressed in clown garb, Adams said he's happy to help raise awareness for a cause that has been considered taboo.
"For men, the penis is something they want to protect more than their own family, and they're very sensitive about it. A lot of men avoid getting checked because they don't want another man touching them," he said.
That attitude is changing, but not quickly enough, said Dushinski.
"Some guys just don't like talking about it or getting checked," he said.
"But when you see the statistics of how many men will get it and how many men will die of it, we've got more work to do."
© The Calgary Herald 2008