Golf Legends Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus to Support Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery Program at Toronto East General Hospital

Golf greats to be featured guests at an "Exclusive Evening with Golf Legends" on September 17 in Toronto 

TORONTO, July 25, 2012 /CNW/ - Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH) —one of Ontario's leading community hospitals—is teeing up yet another celebrity-studded fundraiser; this one to include golf legends, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. "An Exclusive Evening with Golf Legends" takes place Monday, September 17, 2012 and will benefit the hospital's Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery Program and HELP Campaign. 

"An Exclusive Evening with Golf Legends" will offer a rare opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with two of the greatest golfers of all time: "The King," Arnold Palmer; and "The Golden Bear," Jack Nicklaus. The invitation-only event, to be held at a private home in Toronto, is expected to draw an intimate crowd of 80 to 100 guests, significant contributors to the TEGH fundraising efforts.

Funds raised from the event will be a significant boost to TEGH's Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery Program, launched in September 2011 at the hospital with Hockey Great Wayne Gretzky. 

Arnold Palmer has a strong personal connection to the cause, as a prostate cancer survivor himself.  Of all of his accomplishments (62 PGA Tour wins, 10 Senior PGA Tour wins, and a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame), the golfer nicknamed "The King" regards his victory over prostate cancer—the most common cancer among Canadian men, affecting one in seven—one of his most significant. 

Tickets to "An Exclusive Evening with Golf Legends" are $10,000 each, and include: intimate interaction with Palmer and Nicklaus; participation in a 'fireside chat'; an autographed collector's item; as well as a photograph with the golfers to commemorate the evening. 

The TEGH Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery Program is part of the full renovation and expansion planned for TEGH, made possible by the TEGH Foundation's current capital campaign, with a $211-million-dollar capital redevelopment project that will also see the establishment of a new eight-floor patient care centre—a landmark health care facility in North America. 

Earlier this year, TEGH raised $3-million dollars towards the project at its star-filled gala with Jerry Seinfeld, Will Arnett and Amy Poehler on April 12, 2012. 

About Toronto East General Hospital

Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH) has been proudly serving the community of East Toronto since 1929, when it opened its doors as a 110-bed general hospital.  Over the years TEGH has continually renewed its commitment to the community it serves.  Today TEGH is a large, urban, full-service community teaching hospital, providing comprehensive care to a diverse population of 400,000, representing over 45 cultural and linguistic groups.  TEGH boasts Centres of Excellence in Thoracic Surgery, Family Medicine Residency Program, and Progressive Ventilation Weaning among its leadership programs.

About the TEGH Capital Redevelopment Campaign

TEGH has received final approval for the redevelopment from the Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto.  TEGH is currently in the midst of a $60 million private sector campaign to raise funds for the Hospital's $211-million redevelopment project.  More than $50 million has been raised to-date, through the generosity of donors, including 100 per cent participation in the campaign by TEGH doctors.  Construction of a new eight-storey Patient Care Centre will replace some of the oldest and most dysfunctional clinical spaces and patient rooms.  Some of the highlights of the expansion include: improved infection control, an increase in privacy for patients and families, addressing accessibility requirements, and enabling TEGH to retain and attract the best doctors. 

About the TEGH Robotic Surgical Program

In a landmark development, the Toronto East General Hospital's Department of Urology, in partnership with Sunnybrook's Odette Cancer Centre, has acquired the revolutionary da Vinci Surgical System, aka "the Robot", which will provide TEGH with the platform for a definitive leadership in men's health.  The Robot will dramatically change the experience and success rate of prostate cancer surgery. Surgeons sit at a console that controls four surgical ports, which perform the delicate work with unmatched precision. This minimally invasive, robotic surgery, means less pain and trauma to the body, lower risk of infection, shorter hospital stay and the potential for a complete recovery from prostate cancer and a return to normal life - without long-term side effects.  Moreover, in affiliation with the University of Toronto, the TEGH Robotic Surgical Program will provide an incomparable training ground for tomorrow's urological surgeons.

SOURCE: Toronto East General Hospital