GE celebrates the spirit of the Games with donation of legacy CT scanner

(VANOC photo)

Jul 18, 2008

As a tribute to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, GE (NYSE: GE) — a worldwide partner of the Olympic    Games — recently donated a CT scanner to the Sea to Sky region of British Columbia.

GE’s Lightspeed VCT, a state-of-the-art medical imaging device, will be located in the Whistler Health Care Centre in advance of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and will remain within the community following the Games. For residents of the Sea to Sky corridor, it means that diagnostic technology that won’t be a flight away. It’s the first CT scanner to be located in Whistler. The CT scanner is anticipated to be installed by December 2008.
“We are delighted that Whistler, a world-class destination, now has this essential equipment for residents and visitors,” said Peter Foss, President, Olympic Sponsorship, GE. “Residents will no longer have to travel long distances for CT scans. It’s gratifying to know that one of GE’s innovative healthcare products will deliver substantial benefits within the Sea to Sky region.”

What is a CT scanner? Computed tomography (CT) is a medical imaging method capable of generating three-dimensional images, inside the body, non-invasively. With more than 23,000 ski-related head injuries and 19,000 mountain biking-related head injuries occurring every year in Whistler, the scanner is an important addition for the Sea to Sky region. The CT scanner will be used for visitors and residents for the long term, and, along with GE’s advanced imaging equipment (MRI and ultrasound).
CT scans are crucial in treating athletes with training and sports injuries. That’s why GE is also working to improve sports medicine technologies, and presently, the Olympic sponsor is conducting ongoing cardiac and musculoskeletal research with several National Olympic teams.

“We are extremely pleased with the tremendous support from GE for the CT scan,” said Dr. Jack Taunton, VANOC Chief Medical Officer. “This legacy gift will help ensure that British Columbians seeking health care services at their local hospitals and clinics in Sea to Sky communities receive a high standard of care before, during and after the 2010 Winter Games.”

The Whistler Health Care Centre — part of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) — will provide operating funding for the CT scanner. The Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District will also provide approximately $1.21 million towards the $2.3 million construction and installation project, while the remaining $1.1 million has been raised by the Whistler Health Care Foundation, the Squamish Hospital Foundation and the Pemberton Health Care Foundation.
GE is the exclusive provider of many innovative products and services that are integral to staging a successful Olympic Games. GE works closely with host countries, cities and Organizing Committees to provide infrastructure solutions for Olympic venues including power, lighting, water treatment, transportation and security, and to supply hospitals with ultrasound and MRI equipment to help doctors treat athletes.

The generosity of GE is a prime example of how organizations can partner up to bridge needs, facilitate communities and harness new technologies. In this instance, the partnerships of GE, Vancouver Coastal Health, the Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District, the Whistler Health Care Foundation, Squamish Hospital Foundation, and the Pemberton Health Care Foundation delivered improved health care.