There are many things you take for granted in the run of a day, including communicating through speech. But when faced with the threat of losing your ability to talk, you quickly realize just how important this basic function really is.

Ivan Douglas was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx/ vocal cord. After two years following failed radiation treatment in Saint John, Ivan was referred to Dr. Mark Taylor at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, who is the Section Head of Head and Neck Surgery / Reconstructive Surgery in the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT). “Before I saw Dr. Taylor, I was told that it was highly probable that I would lose my ability to talk,” recalls Ivan from his home in Frederiction, New Brunswick. “That’s when it really hit me just how bad my diagnosis was. I would not be able to conduct my day-to-day business without my speech.”

In December 2008, Dr. Taylor performed laser surgery on Ivan which involved partially removing his right vocal cord and other areas above this.  The surgery was a complete success; fast forward almost three years and Ivan’s bi-annual checkups remain positive and his voice remains strong and stable.

But something else remained strong for Ivan – his desire to give back. “Without the surgery and Dr. Taylor’s expertise, I wouldn’t be able to talk today. And who knows what the future holds, I may need his help again someday,” explains Ivan.

Ivan arranged for a $30,000 donation for the Head and Neck/Otolaryngology Division at the QEII – $2000 from a golf tournament hosted in memory of two individuals who passed away from cancer and $28,000 from his own company, Taylor Petroleum 1985 Ltd.

This generous donation will help purchase new surgical instruments for laser surgery in the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Division at the QEII, which is the largest centre for laser treatment for head and neck cancer in the country. “Having these new instruments, especially a new retractor, will enhance endoscopic exposure of various head and neck cancers and improve safety during the removal of these tumors,” explains Dr. Taylor.