“Prehab” before surgery speeds up recovery

A recent study, published in The BMJ indicates that prehabilitation (otherwise known as prehab) can decrease complications and length of hospitalization after surgery, while at the same time, improving quality of life and physical recovery.

Dr. Daniel I McIsaac , an anesthesiologist and senior scientist at our hospital explains,

“If you are willing and able to regularly increase your activity levels and protein intake for a few weeks before surgery, you are likely to experience a noticeably shorter recovery time after surgery.”

As highlighted in a recent CBC News article, Christopher Wanczycki, a patient who took part in the prehab program at The Ottawa Hospital before colorectal cancer surgery in 2022, explains how his love for skiing prior to being diagnosed actually helped speed up his recovery post-surgery.

See more national and global coverage of Dr. McIsaac’s work in L’actualité, MSN, USNews, the Daily Mail (UK), and euro.dayfr.com (France).

You can also read our own story about Christopher and Dr. McIsaac, written in April 2023.

Keeping healthy and beating the blues

Feeling the winter blues? Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng , Head of Critical Care at The Ottawa Hospital , and co-chair of the Campaign to Create Tomorrow was recently interviewed on CTV Your Morning and provided some great tips on how to stay energized and motivated this winter season.

Whether it be getting outside for some fresh air, increasing your protein intake, or staying connected with friends and family in-person, we can all be doing something to help us get through these cold and dark winter months. Be sure to take a listen!

“Most great things happen with five seconds of courage.” - Dr. K

Dr. Lampron on trauma at the new campus

Our six-part video series, A Conversation About Creating Tomorrow continues with episode 4. In this video, Dr. Jacinthe Lampron , Medical Trauma Director at The Ottawa Hospital shares how the new hospital will be home to the most advanced trauma care centre in the region.

The new hospital will put us at the forefront of innovation in healthcare and allow us to transform the patient's experience. Together, we are creating tomorrow!

Early-onset cancers on the rise

On January 24th, The Globe and Mail published an update and a feature story on how the risk of cancer is growing for people under 50. The articles cite the work of TOH Doctors Jean Seely, PMP, MSPM, A-CSM, SSM, DASM, CIPM and Anna Wilkinson , in their studies on incidence of breast cancer by both age and ethnicity. Dr. Seely is noted in stating that research scientists are still trying to understand how the complex interplay of lifestyle, social determinants of health, genetics and the environment influence cancer rates in people under 50.

The advice to those under 50: If you find a lump or notice changes in your breast skin or nipples, don’t wave them away because you think you’re too young to have cancer. The same logic applies if you have signs of colorectal cancer, such as blood in your stool, severe abdominal pain or unexpected weight loss.