Funds raised will go towards the purchase of the first GI Genius in Canada

Dartmouth: Get Up There! (GUT) has partnered with the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation for the third year to help support the purchase of equipment and technology for the Dartmouth General Hospital’s endoscopy team.

Like 2021, the event this year will be an “Urban GUT” with participants raising funds until April 1st, and then climbing to the top of Citadel Hill with their teammates. This year we are thrilled to be joined by teams like Power Up, McInnis Cooper, Halifax Professional Firefighters Local 268, Bob’s Brigade, DGH Above and Beyond Climbers, and more!

GUT is on a mission to bring awareness to colorectal cancer through the event, Get Up There (GUT), a public awareness movement, fundraiser and event. For the last 13 years, we have raised over $800,000 to support the awareness for the fight against colorectal cancer, purchase equipment to aid in early detection, outfit a third endoscopy suite with specialized equipment and fund the promotion of Nova Scotia’s world-class colorectal cancer screening program. But it’s still not enough – early detection is critical in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer, the funds raised at this event will help the Dartmouth General Hospital save lives.

Funds raised this year will go towards the purchase of equipment such as a GI Genius^TM – the first of its kind to be purchased in Canada. GI Genius is a computer-aided detection (CADe) system that features an innovative artificial intelligence technology used to help detect polyps during a colonoscopy.

The GI Genius™ Intelligent Endoscopy Module has learned to distinguish between normal (healthy) colon mucosa and potentially dangerous tissue regions, with the aim to direct the physician’s attention to these suspect regions to minimize the risk of missing a lesion during a colonoscopy.

For more information about the event, please visit www.getupthere.ca

Event Details:  Friday, April 1, 2022

11:00 am – Registration at Pacifico Restaurant (5171 George St. Halifax)

12:01 pm – Official start after the noon cannon goes off

3:15 pm – The last climb begins

4:00 pm – Apres at Pacifico Restaurant

Quotes:

“We are so happy to be working with the GUT team again this year to increase the focus and early detection of colorectal cancer in Nova Scotia. The Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation is thrilled to be working with donors to bring GI Genius to the exceptional endoscopy team at Dartmouth General. This is another great example of the culture of Innovation at Dartmouth General! Everyone fundraising this month, and everyone who is supporting the participants, are helping save lives.” – Stephen Harding, President & CEO, Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation

“GI Genius uses AI, or artificial intelligence, with pattern recognition assessing the walls of the colon to identify certain features pit patterns and identify if there are polyps or not. This device is able to find polyps that could be missed by the human eye, and the data show that GI Genius can help increase the detection rate up to 14%over colonoscopy alone. Dartmouth will be a frontrunner as one of the first hospitals to purchase this in Canada, and we’re so excited to put this into use for our patients.” Dr. Chadwick Williams, Gastroenterologist at Dartmouth General Hospital

“As the 14th year of Get Up There comes around we are excited for another Urban GUT, COVID has unfortunately taken Wentworth as a venue but we look forward to roaming the streets of downtown Halifax and Citadel Hill on April 1st. We are excited for a huge turnout this year as we raise money to help fund a very cool artificial intelligence application to help find polyps faster. Urban GUT has allowed us to expand our participant list even more, so we are really excited to be doing it in the city again! It’s pretty amazing seeing everyone come together in the heart of downtown to climb the hills of Halifax for such a great cause.” Ben Davison and Emma Shoveller, GUT Chairs

Media Contact:

Kiana Pace
Marketing, Communications & Media Specialist
Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation
kiana.pace@dghfoundation.ca
902-266-6777