Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation invests $300,000 to advance liver care at Royal University Hospital Foundation
Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation invests $300,000 towards liver care at Royal University Hospital Foundation.
This contribution has funded the purchase of a Portable Fibroscan that checks the health of a person’s liver. It uses sound waves to measure how much scarring and fat has built up, with no needle and no sedation, and delivers a result during the same appointment. It does the work that a liver biopsy has traditionally done, without the procedure or the wait that comes with it.
This funding will also support the development of a pilot program to bring liver screening to the seven member First Nations of the Saskatoon Tribal Council.
During this funding announcement, DDCDC Chair Tribal Chief Mark Arcand volunteered to have his liver screened. After the Fibroscan was set up, the screening took around 5 minutes to complete!
“As a First Nations organization, we’re proud to invest in opportunities that support healthier communities and create positive change. 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.” – STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand, Chair, Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation.
“This gift changes what we can offer patients. 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.” – Jennifer Molloy, CEO, RUH Foundation
“Portable FibroScan brings testing closer to the communities we serve in Saskatchewan. This device is non-invasive and designed for point of care assessment of liver fibrosis (scar) and steatosis (liver fat content); allowing clinicians to diagnose and treat early. We are grateful to DDCDC for a gift that will improve patient care across our province.” – Dr. Mina Niazi, MD, FRCP(C), BSc, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Liver Transplant Program Clinical Lead, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
