Gastrointestinal cancer testing is now a non-invasive outpatient procedure thanks to Interior Health’s newest piece of equipment, the Endoscopic Ultrasound Unit.

A diagnostic procedure which until June of this year required patient travel to either Vancouver or Calgary, Endoscopic Ultrasound can now be completed at Kelowna General Hospital.

Physician Dr. Carla Nash explains, “Endoscopic ultrasound is a marriage of conventional endoscopy to ultrasound technology. It allows us to look at the gastrointestinal tract in greater detail because we’re able to put the ultrasound within 2 or 3 cm of areas such as the pancreas.” Resulting in faster diagnosis and safer, more effective treatment. And the procedure is comfortable for patients, all of whom will experience little or no pain afterwards and return home the same day.

The new equipment came as a result of a $250,000 donation from The Colin and Lois Pritchard Foundation. Colin and Lois Pritchard are no strangers to healthcare philanthropy, having donated previously and on an ongoing basis to the KGH Foundation and UBC’s Southern Medical Program.

“It’s really important to have good medical care and have it close at hand,” says Colin Pritchard. “We’re very pleased, our family, to be a part of this great, great hospital.”

The KGH Foundation is a charitable organization which fundraises for state-of-the-art equipment aimed at improving the patient care experience at KGH and its associated facilities.

“The KGH Foundation’s goal is always to take health care from a provincial standard to truly world class,” explains Foundation CEO, Doug Rankmore. “This is a new and welcome addition to IH – it will prevent patients from traveling and advances patient care.”