The devastation of that loss combined with the promise of innovative medical techniques led to donations made over several years, totalling 1.2-million dollars. These donations have allowed the centre to purchase nine state-of-the-art hyperbaric chambers for what would become the Judy Dan Wound Care Centre in North York. By providing hyperbaric medical treatment, the Care Centre uses these chambers to help restore affected tissues by enabling cells to fight the infection. Within these chambers, patients breathe 100% oxygen while two-to-three times the average level boosts the atmospheric pressure. Patients typically require thirty 90-minute sessions to combat the issue with an encouraging 75% success rate.

From the outset, this initiative managed to save 90 amputations in its first year alone. That success has continued to alter lives since it started in 2007. Considering that the cost of treating one patient to save a leg is approximately $3,000 while the cost of amputation is more than $60,000. In the first year alone, the addition of these chambers helped to save $4.5 million in healthcare costs. It’s a reminder that effective change happens over time when there is an investment in people and resources.