A new $22,000 ultra-low-temperature freezer is now operating at East Kootenay Regional Hospital.
The equipment was funded by the East Kootenay Foundation for Health through community donations to its East Kootenay Regional Hospital Fund.
The freezer will support clinical research, medical investigations and community health needs by storing biological samples at extremely low temperatures.
The freezer will be shared by the clinical research team and the hospital’s pathology team. It will allow pathologists to store postmortem samples to investigate sudden or unexplained deaths and inherited conditions.
EKFH executive director Brenna Hong shared an example of how the equipment is already being used.
“Currently what they’re doing is they’re taking samples, and they’re doing research with the samples. So when someone passes, like there was a patient with ALS, they were able to get a sample from the patient, with the family’s consent. They are able to use those samples to do research on ALS. It gets sent to a bigger centre in order to do that, so the freezer that we received is able to freeze at a very very low temperature in order to keep the sample the way that they need them”. Said Hong.
Research into potential inherited conditions can provide potentially life-saving testing for living family members. It may also help provide closure and answers regarding the death of loved ones.
The freezer and cryopreservation of tissues also allow the donation of postmortem tissue for approved research programs, such as UBC Brain Health.
Having this equipment locally means patients in the East Kootenay won’t always need to travel to larger urban centres for certain diagnostic investigations. The freezer also enhances the ability for the hospital to involve rural communities in research by supporting secure, on-site, ultra-low temperature sample storage.
“I’m really excited about it from the foundation point, because this is a new area that our donors can support in rural research. I always find that we’re kind of left out a little bit being where we’re located. In the East Kootenay region we have smaller sectors like the Elk Valley, the Columbia Valley, as well as the Creston area, which are smaller areas, and now we’re able to conduct research in our populations in those areas. It’s going to benefit our region in hopefully getting more advanced equipment, and more equipment that we need in this area.” said Hong.
The freezer supports the goals of Interior Health’s newest clinical research site the EKRH Clinical Research Unit. The unit and program are helping expand rural medical research, giving community members the chance to participate in studies that reflect the needs of rural populations in East Kootenay.
“What they’re trying to target is more research that can be done in rural areas, and they’re just getting started”. Hong said.
Hong also acknowledged the people who make the foundation’s work possible.
“I just want to thank our community and our supporters of the East Kootenay Foundation for Health, because we are only able to do the work that we do in our area because of them. So a huge shoutout to all the individuals, all the organizations and businesses that continually support our endeavor” said Hong.
EKFH said it looks forward to continuing to support the Clinical Research Unit and its mission of building sustainable rural research capability. Through equipment purchases and initiatives, the foundation said it is helping the program progress toward better health outcomes for the region.
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