Tori Sutton Staff Reporter The community is already reaping the benefits of this year’s 24-Hour Charity Marathon of Squash.
Last Friday, Stratford General Hospital (SGH) unveiled its new Cryostat machine, which will be paid for through funds raised at this year’s event. The Cryostat is an essential piece of equipment used for tissue analysis during cancer surgery. It allows lab technicians to freeze fresh tissue removed during surgery. It is then thinly cut – usually four to six microns thick – and stained, then examined by pathologists under the microscope. The process usually takes eight to 10 minutes. The machine, worth $30,000, will be used up to six times per week. “We use it on a number occasions, basically to assist surgeons during their operations,†explained Dr. Tyler Rouse, a pathologist at SGH. “Whether it is to figure out what type of cancer they’re dealing with, which helps them plan the rest of the surgery, or sometimes to determine a surgical margin, to see if they’ve completely removed a lesion or whether they have to take more tissue.†The squash marathon, held at the Stratford Country Club, starts on Friday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. and wraps up 24 hours later.
Play is open to the public and no previous squash experience is necessary. Racquets, balls and eye protection will be available for use.