This is part of a series of articles highlighting 100 years of care and community as Southlake Regional Health Centre celebrates its centennial this year.
Ian Phythian is a familiar face for staff and patients at Southlake Regional Health Centre. The 78-year-old has been a loyal and enthusiastic volunteer for many years, comforting nervous patients and their families as they prepare to undergo heart procedures and operations. It’s an experience he knows all too well. In 2003, Ian became Southlake’s first-ever cardiac surgery patient.
“My care at Southlake was nothing short of incredible and it is a privilege to share this with others going through the same thing,” Phythian says. “While I love interacting with the doctors and nurses, my favourite part of volunteering is spending time with patients. Heart surgery can be scary, but I get to use my own wonderful experience to let them know it’s going to be OK. I’m living proof they are in good hands with Southlake’s cardiac team.”
Though more than 20 years have passed, Phythian remembers his surgery like it was yesterday. After experiencing pain in his arm followed by a rapid rise in his heart rate, he visited Southlake for an angiogram. The results showed he had three-vessel disease, a severe condition where vital coronary arteries are damaged, preventing proper blood flow to the heart. After discussing his options with his care team, Phythian opted for bypass surgery which, while more intensive than an alternative like a stent, would last 20 years or more before needing replacement.
As chance would have it, Southlake was already well on its way toward becoming a hub for leading-edge cardiac care thanks to the expertise, dedication and perseverance of leading cardiac surgeon Dr. Byung Moon and the visionary leadership of Southlake’s then-president Dan Carriere.
“When Dan asked me to lead the effort to bring a full cardiac program to Southlake, I was excited about this opportunity to champion our local community’s heart health,” Dr. Moon reflects. “We had a vision for cardiac care that was on par or even better than the downtown Toronto hospitals while also being convenient and close to home for patients across the region. Knowing how far the program has come and seeing that vision realized is incredible. We are very proud of what we’ve accomplished and will strive to continue providing the best possible care.”
In 1998, the provincial government named Southlake the regional cardiac care program for Central Ontario. Over the next four-and-a-half years, Dr. Moon and the team gathered the best talent and put state-of-the-art infrastructure in place to get the program off the ground. Phythian was then selected as the patient who would usher in one of Southlake’s most important evolutions with his lifesaving bypass surgery.
Through a pioneering procedure that he had developed alongside a team of American doctors, Dr. Moon used the saphenous vein to restore adequate blood flow to Phythian’s heart. The minimally invasive surgery uses an endoscope to reduce the overall impact on patients, which is a claim that Phythian can easily and proudly back up from his own experience.
“My recovery was swift and without issue," Phythian recalls. "The personalized level of care I received at Southlake and in rehab helped me get back up on my feet quickly. I could even return to my love for sports, exercise and the outdoors. Above all, thanks to my amazing care team, I never felt alone in this journey, even now with the surgery far in the rearview mirror. I think that’s something special about the patient experience at Southlake.”
Today, the regional cardiac care program at Southlake is a leader in cardiac care and research and its launch remains one of the most significant milestones in the organization's 100-year history. Through its growing team, evolving technology, expanding care spaces and thriving expertise across the entire continuum of cardiac care, the program now serves more than 10,000 patients each year, making it one of the largest in Ontario.
At the same time, Dr. Moon and the Southlake team, led by Dr. Christopher Overgard, Southlake's newly appointed chief of the department of cardiac health, continue to build upon their proven track record of innovation. Southlake is ushering in ground-breaking medical advancements and boundary-pushing research that will ensure a vibrant future for the communities it proudly serves.
For Phythian, a lifelong Newmarket resident with a 51-year career as a York Region paramedic, knowing that patients have access to the leading-edge care they deserve — cardiac or otherwise — within the community makes a world of a difference.
“I transported many patients who would often share their frustrations having to travel long distances into the busy streets of Toronto just to reach quality care. Not only did it require valuable time and energy, but it added stress to an already stressful situation. Now that they have somewhere like Southlake that is close to home and provides outstanding care, it alleviates many of these frustrations and is a comfort to the patients and families who live here.”
Looking back on his experience, Phythian is proud to share the lifesaving impact Southlake’s cardiac team has on patients every day.
“A lot of these patients think they aren’t going to come back from surgery, but I hold their hands and try to quell their fears by letting them know they’ll get through it. Twenty years ago, Southlake helped me to live a long and healthy life, and with all the progress the cardiac program has made since that first surgery, they will do the same and more for the patients who come after me. To me, it didn’t matter if I was Number 1 or 10, I’m just thrilled that this is available to us close to home.”
For 100 years and counting, Southlake has built healthy communities through leading edge care with an unwavering pride for people, place and performance. Learn more about Southlake’s esteemed history and how they’re celebrating throughout the year at southlake.ca.
