Thanks to the generosity of The Lang Family Foundation, which has supported innovation in both medicine and children at risk, they are now extending their support in advancing early innovation in urology.
The Foundation has pledged $3 million to establish the Lang Family Chair in Urologic Innovation. This endowment will empower a world-class expert within the Urology Division in UHN’s Sprott Department of Surgery. The Chairholder will play a key role in advancing clinical, research and education efforts at UHN and the University of Toronto, resulting in a national and international profile.
“Through the Lang Family Foundation, we will be able to make further advancements in what we love most – being able to offer state-of-the-art treatments available nowhere else in our country,” says Dr. Dean Elterman, an esteemed surgeon and urologist in the Men’s Health Program and Sprott Department of Surgery at UHN. “Urology is an amazing specialty, and the Chair means connecting on an even greater level with patients about their most personal issues, and finding better ways to improve their quality of life.”
Technology, research and public engagement
Today, the Division of Urology at UHN is renowned as Canada’s premier urological health provider, with the goal of providing patients with advanced, thorough and tailored care. Areas of innovation supported through the Lang Family Chair in Urologic Innovation will include building on the program’s advanced technology, research and public engagement.
UHN has pioneered many urology breakthroughs, including being the first academic teaching hospital in Toronto to practice Greenlight Laser and Aquablation therapies to treat prostate disorders. The program was also the first in Canada to perform several minimally invasive treatments for benign prostatic enlargement, and to utilize sacral neuromodulation, also known as the bladder pacemaker. This advanced form of therapy is now relied on by thousands to address bladder control problems, and UHN ranks among the top five implanters worldwide.
The Lang Family Chair in Urologic Innovation will play a critical role in supporting the team to pursue clinical trials using groundbreaking technology, and building on surgical techniques that the equipment makes possible. It will also mobilize investigations through salary support that enables team members to increase their knowledge and hone specialized skills. Additionally, the Chair will enhance outcomes by raising awareness of such campaigns and initiatives as UHN’s Men’s Health Program.
“We are thrilled to contribute to Dr. Elterman and his team at UHN,” says Donald Lang. “Their work can lead to fundamental and long-lasting advances that will positively impact patients’ lives forever.”
