Department of Surgery | School of Medicine

Being on the cutting edge of colorectal surgery: an interview with Surgery’s Dr. Ameer Farooq

- 3 May 2024

Dr. Ameer Farooq is a colorectal surgeon who joined SEAMO in March 2023. What you might not know about him though is he has another passion: podcasting. Dr. Farooq is the co-host of the Cold Steel podcast with his colleague Dr. Chad Ball. Conversations range from clinical tips to the human side of being a surgeon.

Reflecting on Colorectal Cancer Education Day

- 27 March 2024

Patients, family members and medical specialists from across southeastern Ontario came together on March 23 for the second annual Colorectal Cancer Patient Education Day. The full-day event, hosted at the Donald Gordon Hotel and Conference Centre, was developed based on patient and caregiver feedback, and provides a platform for individuals affected by colorectal cancer to gather, learn and find support.

Ontario Research Fund supports three QHS projects

- 26 March 2024

The Government of Ontario is supporting three Queen’s Health Sciences research projects, one of which for Dr. Teresa Purzner, through the Ontario Research Fund.

These projects – focused on neurological disorders, brain tumours, and cancer – received support for state-of-the-art equipment, technology, and hardware:

Women in surgery

- 13 March 2024

Heart surgery is definitely not a one-person job, but at the centre of it is the surgeon, and the majority of the time at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), the surgeon is a woman.

Two of KHSC’s three cardiac surgeons are women: Dr. Carolyn Teng and Dr. Holly Mewhort.

Even when the number increases to the usual four cardiac surgeons, Drs. Teng and Mewhort will make up, at minimum, 50 per cent of the team. That's well above the 2019 national average of 11 per cent.

‘It’s life-changing’

- 28 February 2024

From his sprawling property on Wolfe Island, Andy Aitken speaks about his love for the outdoors. He and a friend have turned his old farm into a personal conservation area and bird watchers’ paradise. Together they have started both a successful Purple Martin colony and created nesting for threatened species of birds. He also loves canoeing and camping, but as recently as a couple of years ago, all these activities felt completely out of reach.

Her heartfelt journey

- 13 February 2024

Photo: Jones in December 2022, after her first post-surgery echocardiogram at KHSC's Hotel Dieu Hospital site Credit Matthew Manor/KHSC

Kingstonian Kristen Jones has been followed by Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) cardiologists since she was diagnosed, at two years old, with a bicuspid aortic valve. It’s a congenital condition that means she was born with an aortic valve with two flaps instead of three.

Cold Steel: a podcast for surgeons

- 7 February 2024

There’s a podcast for everyone. From political discussions to lessons in meditation, podcasts are increasingly a popular way for people to learn and explore new ideas. For surgeons, one of the top podcasts is co-hosted by Queen’s colorectal surgeon Dr. Ameer Farooq. His podcast and YouTube channel, Cold Steel offers virtual guidance for clinical techniques, but also delves into the more humanistic side of being surgeon – from ergonomics and burnout to managing relationships beyond the OR.

Novel approaches improve outcomes for lung cancer patients

- 7 February 2024

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Canada, due to its aggressive behavior and tendency to present at an advanced stage. New treatment approaches and surgical techniques, however, are starting to improve the outlook for patients with this diagnosis.

Joining forces for innovations in brain tumour therapies

- 7 February 2024

A cure for glioblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer, continues to elude cancer researchers. A new collaboration called the Queen’s Brain Tumour Translational Program, however, is bringing together a team of experts who are translating their research into personalized, precision approaches to understanding, treating and hopefully eventually developing a cure for this insidious disease.

Meet our new Faculty Members 2022-2023

- 5 February 2024

Dr. Fernando Diaz Dilernia