Advancing Health Care

Continuing the proud tradition

For nearly 200 years, the MUHC has been advancing health care. During that time, our dedicated professionals have been finding better ways to diagnose and treat diseases, and understand their underlying causes. This year marks several milestones in this quest.

In 2008-2009, the Montreal Neurological Hospital/Institute celebrated its 75th year of operation, while the Montreal Chest Institute observed its centennial. This year also marked the anniversaries of major advances in health care at the MUHC, including Canada’s first artificial ureter reconstruction, first community pediatric research program and first kidney transplant.

Past achievements must be recognized – but advancing health care means constantly moving forward; it means taking on new challenges and seizing new opportunities. This year, the MUHC continued to advance health care by taking significant steps towards the construction of its ultra-modern Glen Campus and redevelopment of the Mountain and Lachine campuses. The Request for Proposals for the Glen Campus was issued to the two international consortia bidding to design, build, finance and maintain this vital project. Further support came from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), which awarded the Research Institute of the MUHC (RI-MUHC) a $100-million infrastructure grant. This grant, the largest ever given to a single institution, will be used to build and equip the RI-MUHC’s new labs at the Glen Campus.

This year, in many ways and at every site, the MUHC has been steadily advancing health care. The new Palliative Care Unit now provides specialized end-of-life care for patients. The Women’s Healthy Heart Clinic, another recent addition, offers specialized counselling for women who want to reduce their cardiovascular risk. At the RI-MUHC, scientists have made breakthroughs in many areas. To name just two, they have learned more about how cancer cells communicate and have made discoveries that may fundamentally change the way cardiovascular disease is treated.

Every day, in small steps or by dramatic leaps, the dedicated staff of the MUHC are advancing health care. They are continuing the proud tradition that stretches nearly two centuries into the past, and leads us towards a future – a tradition that insists on constantly finding the better way.