Stroke campaign info sheet
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Stroke care – tackling British Columbia’s third leading killer

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Stroke care

Neurologist Dr. John Diggle

Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation supports what our neurologists have identified as the single most important step we can take here in Surrey for stroke care.

Expansion of Surrey Memorial Hospital’s neurology unit will combine more space, more specialty, and more services to create an exemplary program for stroke care in the region.

Combining an expanded facility, a dedicated team of experts and the right technology will create ideal conditions for patients during the crucial first hours and days after a full-blown stroke.
 

The facts

• One in six people worldwide will have a stroke in their lifetime
• Stroke is the third leading cause of death in British Columbia
• Stroke is the number one cause of acquired long-term disability in adults in BC
• The good news: quick recognition and early treatment will dramatically reduce the risk of permanent disability

A growing population

As the second largest city in British Columbia with the largest population increase in recent years and a significant South Asian community that is at greater risk of stroke, Surrey and neighbouring communities deserve a health care system that keeps up with residents’ needs.

Expansion is underway

The largest-ever capital investment in British Columbia’s health care system is taking place right now at Surrey Memorial Hospital.

The centrepiece of this investment is an expansion that will result in a new, eight-storey Critical Care Tower. Construction began in January and will be fully complete in 2014. The Critical Care Tower will include an expanded neurology unit with a dedicated stroke team.

New unit: more space, more specialty, more services

• More space
An expanded 36-bed neurology unit to open on the top floor of the Critical Care Tower will replace the current 22-bed unit. This will help the hospital transfer stroke patients from the emergency department to a specialized unit sooner.

• More specialty
A dedicated stroke team will be located on the unit to offer a one-stop shop of services to patients. The team will include neurologists, hospitalists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, speech and language pathologists, social workers, pharmacists. With this pool of expertise brought together, there will be a greater ability to conduct research and clinical trials.

• More services
The new unit will allow more patients to receive their care closer to home. Newly introduced technology will allow brain wave monitoring even as patients move around the unit, and video capability can help keep watch of patients who need continuous observation. Specialized rehabilitation services will be located right on the unit to offer individualized help to patients.

Campus of care

This expansion will complement the stroke prevention clinic that is located at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre, which opened in June 2011. The stroke prevention clinic is designed to provide rapid access to follow-up treatment for patients who have suffered mini-strokes (transient ischemic attack) and help reduce their risk of a full-blown stroke.

The stroke prevention clinic and an expanded neurology unit are key strategies to meet the needs of our rapidly growing population.

One patient’s story

“Having a stroke is a life altering experience. I went from leading a very normal, happy life to having an uncertain future all in one night’s events. However, the experience has been a positive one from the perspective of all the love and support that I received from my family and friends and the excellent assistance from staff at Surrey Memorial Hospital.” – Tony Edwards, SMH stroke patient

Please give today

Construction of the expanded neurology unit and the rest of Surrey Memorial Hospital’s Critical Care Tower is now underway. With your donation, you will help develop Surrey’s campus of care and become part of the province’s largest-ever capital investment in health.
 

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