Erin Davis and Cynthia Mulligan join forces to celebrate the new Breast Health Centre at Markham Stouffville Hospital

On Wednesday, November 9, Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation celebrated the opening of the newly relocated and renovated Breast Health Centre at Oak Valley Health’s Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH).  The celebration was held at Markham’s Peoples Theatre for the Performing Arts and brought together over 200 guests to enjoy a night of hope and inspiration.

Canadian radio icon and long-time MSH Foundation supporter Erin Davis hosted this memorable evening. Davis had intimate conversations with breast cancer survivor and CityNews journalist, Cynthia Mulligan, Oak Valley Health general surgeon, Dr. Crystal Pallister, and grateful patient Sara Sterling.

“It’s an honour to be part of something so significant and to be able to celebrate this achievement with friends in the community,” said Davis. “These faces of breast cancer – all of them - continue to inspire all of us to live, and to be grateful.”

“Despite the pandemic and because of generous support from the community, important projects and progress continued at Markham Stouffville Hospital. Earlier this year we opened the doors to a new, renovated and relocated Breast Health Centre,” said Suzette Strong, CEO, MSH Foundation. “Our generous community have always come through with support for the Breast Health Centre – in 2006 when the vision and plan for the ‘one-stop shop’ care model was first developed by Dr. Crystal Pallister and the original breast health centre opened in 2007.”

The relocated Breast Health Centre opened with six consult rooms, one family meeting room, one nurse assessment room, and two dictation spaces for physicians. The space allows MSH to maintain their ‘one-stop shop’ philosophy, with a multi-disciplinary approach to breast cancer care and treatment. The health care team at the centre includes a nurse navigator, clinic coordinator, nurse, secretary, seven surgeons and caring volunteers. For patients whose first language is not English, members of our team speak Cantonese, Mandarin and Tamil – and interpreter services are also available.

The new centre improves the flow and traffic within the clinic for the over 4,000 patients who visit each year. The space boasts beautiful wall wraps depicting nature and water around the centre and in the exam rooms, modern and natural lighting throughout, and a fireplace in the waiting room.

“We wanted the space to be efficient and we wanted the space to be healing and soothing when you are going through distress. We really have achieved that. As you walk through the rooms, it feels like a spa which is so calming and beautiful,” said Dr. Crystal Pallister.

The new Breast Health Centre was made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors, especially the Wright Family, and the important work of the MSH Foundation. This private event is generously supported by Presenting Sponsor, CIBC and Community Partner, Esteé Lauder.