In April, TVASurg team members were invited to showcase some of our experimental VR modules at the annual LIVE it UP! fundraiser in Toronto.
LIVE it Up! is a longstanding third-party event supporting the UHN Foundation. It honours excellence in transplantation at UHN and has raised over $315,000 for the Jürgen Mummenhoff Memorial Fund since 2009. The event unites transplant recipients, donors, UHN's Transplant Team, community leaders, and loved ones to raise awareness, showcase research advancements, and celebrate the gift of life through storytelling, music, and conversation.
The TVASurg team prepared a short, interactive demonstration of a living donor kidney donation procedure, where guests can take charge of performing the surgery in a virtual reality operating theatre.
Meticulous testing was done beforehand at the HPB Centre, as well as a round of field-testing done immediately prior to the event.
Guests were often intrigued and excited upon entering the VR world, though their attention would soon be laser focused as they complete a kidney retrieval procedure, guided step-by-step by our team members.
The event continued with an ongoing queue of guests experiencing the VR simulation, showcasing the spirit of innovation and experimentation that is widespread and celebrated within the UHN Transplant Team.
The night was concluded with a speech by Dr. Ian McGilvray, our founding director at TVASurg, and also a long time supporter of the LIVE it UP! fundraiser.
Special thanks to Ms. Kirsten Mummenhoff Cooney and Ms. Shraddha Kothari Walker, co-chairs of the event, for inviting our team to take part in the event. Looking forward to our next!
-The TVASurg team
Fantastic! VR tutoring is the new way to train highly skilled surgeons! Your contribution to the surgical field will remain an important milestone in the “History of learning surgery”!
Paolo Aseni
ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano, Milano, Italy