This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Southlake is proud to add three state-of-the-art mammography machines to help more women detect breast cancer earlier.

When Tania accompanied her mother to Southlake’s Regional Cancer Centre at Southlake for treatment, she never imagined that she would be returning for her youngest child, Alyssa.

In 2022, 48 year-old Melanie — a wife, mother, and business development professional — was experiencing breast pain and casually mentioned it to her family physician during a routine annual exam. As a precaution, Melanie’s doctor ordered a mammogram to check things out.  She could never have imagined the whirlwind that would ensue after the results of her mammogram came back.

In 2013, Jamie Pimek was worried he had an ulcer. The Newmarket business leader was 31, healthy and active, so he attributed the pain in his stomach to work stress. But that pain wouldn’t go away. It wasn’t until his family doctor sent him to Southlake for a colonoscopy that he began to think the unthinkable.

Bill and Elizabeth were sitting at the table together, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary when they received a call that would change their lives. The mole that Elizabeth had biopsied was confirmed as melanoma. She was scheduled for surgery the next day.

For Carolyn and Bridget, Southlake is a family affair. Both mother and daughter work at the hospital, as well as Carolyn’s husband (Bridget’s father). Carolyn’s mother was also a housekeeper at Southlake for many years, so their history and relationship with the hospital inspired nothing but pride and confidence.

“I wish there were more Mike’s in the world,” says Steve Hinder - long-time friend of Mike Rathke, owner of MR Menswear and nearly 30-year resident of Aurora, Ontario.