A team of 55-plus hockey players dug into their wallets and collected about $500 for a GreenLight laser at St. Joseph’s General Hospital.
The laser is used in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the enlargement of the prostate.
“It really affected a bunch of us, but we didn’t have the laser,” team member Jack Adrian said with a laugh. “And I’d rather have the laser, let me tell ya.”
Adrian has prostate cancer, but that doesn’t stop the goaltender from slapping on the pads and the skates.
One of his teammates has played hockey for several years after having a heart transplant. Another player, at the age of 85, has undergone quadruple bypass surgery.
“You can’t stop doing things, so we just keep going here,” Adrian said.
According to statistics, BPH impacts one out of two men on the far side of 60. In some cases the condition can be treated with medication. Other cases require surgery that, until recently, meant a lengthy hospital stay.
GreenLight Laser Therapy has shortened the stay to an average of 6.75 hours.
“It’s a fabulous treatment for people that are dealing with that medical condition,” St. Joseph’s General Hospital Foundation executive director Lynn Dashkewytch said.
Upwards of 45 procedures have been performed since the laser was introduced at St. Joseph’s. The equipment is worth nearly $200,000.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com