TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sep 27, 2012) -

Attention: Assignment Desk Editors, Health Editors, Lifestyle Editors, Business Editors

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre will soon be home to Canada''s largest breast cancer centre, thanks to a transformational $10-million gift from Jim and Louise Temerty.

The gift establishes the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre, which will house Sunnybrook''s cutting-edge Breast Program. The centre''s Rapid Diagnosis Unit will offer potential breast cancer patients a diagnosis and treatment plan within just 24 hours of assessment, eliminating current wait times of up to six weeks for such life-saving answers.

"Breast cancer patients have traditionally been put through a terrible waiting period for results. That wait can wear a person down - but not anymore," says Mr. Temerty. "The Rapid Diagnosis Unit will diagnose women quickly so they can get started on treatment early. This centre is going to save lives, and I''m proud to play a role in its creation."

The need for top-notch - and fast - breast cancer care in Ontario resonates strongly with the Temerty family. Louise had accompanied a close friend to her many breast cancer treatments, often spending the day with her at Sunnybrook, and says that waiting for answers was often the hardest part.

Set to open in April 2013, the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre will revolutionize breast cancer care, imaging and research in Canada. The centre''s Breast Program - the largest in the country - will provide tailored programming to a diverse patient population. PYNK, Canada''s only comprehensive program for young women with breast cancer, is just one example.

Dr. Barry McLellan, Sunnybrook''s president and CEO, says this centre will further build upon Sunnybrook''s world-renowned breast cancer program.

"This gift provides our experts with a world-class facility that matches their skills," Dr. McLellan says. "The Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre''s scientists will push the boundaries of imaging technology to detect the disease earlier and with greater accuracy. Our patients count on us for the best care possible, and this gift will allow us to meet those needs."

Dr. Jon S. Dellandrea, Sunnybrook Foundation''s president and CEO, says the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre is an example of how greatly patients'' lives can be improved through private support.

"Everything we do at Sunnybrook - our state-of-the-art care, research and innovation - is resource dependant, and so we''re very grateful for this support from the Temerty family," says Dr. Dellandrea. "This type of private support is essential if we''re to reach our goal of inventing the future of health care."