A Night to Celebrate - - In support of Cancer Research and Education at Toronto General Hospital

The 'A Night to Celebrate' Committee:

Front row L-R:
Tony Greco, Josie Jengle, Silvana Greco, Luisa Masucci, Remo Lisi, Adriana Savo, Paula Gregoris, Mary Paiano, Miriam Sorrentino, Frank Sorrentino

Back row L-R:
Toni Vecchiarelli, Jack Collins, Mike Palozzi, Tony Masucci, Anna DeMatteis, Nadia Palozzi, Mary Monaco, Sam Ciccolini, John DeMatteis, Frank Vecchiarelli, Mario Savo

Our inspiration Remo & Santina Lisi

For the past twelve years, three very dedicated sisters have hosted an event called ‘A Night to Celebrate’ to raise funds for cancer patients at Toronto General Hospital.

Adriana, Luisa and Silvana’s mother Santina, passed away from this disease, and their father Remo is a cancer survivor. This is the reason that they continue to host this event that is making a difference for many.

Each year, these ladies inspire family, friends and many members of their community to come out and get involved.

This year’s event is set to draw an attendance of over 900 for an evening filled with dinner, dancing, silent and live auctions and most importantly, good company.

Over the past ten years, A Night to Celebrate has enabled the acquisition of advanced, leading edge equipment, including a Harmonic Scalpel, Scopeguide Endoscope Position Detecting Unit and UPD Probe, a Laproscopic Retractor Holder and Power Rail Clamp, a Needle-tipped Grasper and Closure Device, a Luminometer with Retractor and Anoscope, and most recently an Ultrasound System with laproscopic Transducer.

There are many ways for you to get involved in ‘A Night to Celebrate’

1. You can purchase a ticket and join us for the evening.
2. You can purchase an ad and publicize your company in the evening program
3. If you can’t join us, you can make a donation in honour of someone you love.
4. You can choose to donate an auction, raffle or door prize.

Please consider getting involved in a way that works best for you!

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about this event, please contact us.

What will the funds support?

The funds raised from A Night to Celebrate will allow surgeons at the University Health Network to perform robot-assisted surgery for cancer of the rectum. Currently, these operations can only be done using traditional open surgery. With the use of a surgical robot, UHN surgeons will be able to perform rectal cancer surgeries without making a large incision in the abdomen, allowing patients suffering from this condition to have less pain and leave hospital earlier after surgery.

Surgery Enabled by da Vinci®

You've just been diagnosed with a condition requiring surgery. Until very recently your options included traditional surgery with a large open incision or laparoscopy, which uses small incisions but is typically limited to very simple procedures.

Thanks to a breakthrough surgical technology, there is a new category of minimally invasive surgery for which you may be a candidate. It is an effective, minimally invasive alternative to both open surgery and laparoscopy. Through the use of the da Vinci® Surgical System, surgeons are now able to offer a minimally invasive option for complex surgical procedures.

Imagine major surgery performed through the smallest of incisions. Imagine having the benefits of a definitive treatment but with the potential for significantly less pain, a shorter hospital stay, faster return to normal daily activities – as well as the potential for better clinical outcomes.

With the da Vinci Surgical System, surgeons and hospitals are re-writing accepted standards for surgical care. da Vinci is changing the experience of surgery. Surgery with da Vinci does not place a robot at the controls; your surgeon is controlling every aspect of the surgery.

da Vinci is changing the experience of surgery…for the surgeon… the hospital…and most importantly… for the patient.

Dr. Lorne Rotstein

Dr. Lorne Rotstein graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto in 1973. He successfully completed a Residency in General Surgery at University of Toronto in 1978 and became a Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in that year.

Dr. Rotstein then went on to be awarded a Medical Research Counsel of Canada Fellowship in Experimental Pathology from 1979 to 1980, after which he was a Clinical Fellow in Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre from 1980 to 1982.

Since 1982 Dr. Rotstein had been a member of the staff of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and University Health Network in it's various incarnations up to the present time.
He has been a Faculty Member in the Department of General Surgery at The University of Toronto working his was through the ranks to full Professorship.

Currently, Dr. Rotstein is the Peter A. Crossgrove Chair in General Surgery at the University Health Network. Dr. Rotstein has served as Fellowship Program Director in General Surgical Oncology at University of Toronto, and as Residency Program Director for General Surgery 2000 to 2008 supervising a busy residency program with more than 70 residents at any given time.

Additionally, Dr. Rotstein has served the Royal College in various capacities; as an Examiner in General Surgery for two terms as well as sitting as a member of the Specialty Committee in General Surgery from 2000 to 2008.

Dr. Rotstein has a keen commitment to, and interest in, Medical Education, particularly at the Resident level.

Outside interests include; Study of History, Scuba Diving, Skiing and Underwater Photography.

Dr. David R. Urbach

A graduate of he University of Toronto Medical School in 1993, Dr. Urbach entered the General Surgery Training Program at The University of Toronto in 1993.

During his general surgery training, he undertook research studies as a graduate student in clinical epidemiology at The University of Toronto, and received his M.Sc. in Health Administration in 1999.

He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 1998. After a Clinical Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at Legacy Health System in Portland, Oregon in 1999, he began his General Surgery Staff Appointment at The University Health Network in 2001.

He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at The University of Toronto. His clinical practice is devoted to gastrointestinal and endocrine surgical oncology and minimally invasive surgery. His research laboratory is within the Division of Clinical Decision Making and Health Care at the Toronto General Hospital where he is currently conducting research in cancer-related health services research.