Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women, affecting one in nine Canadian women in their lifetime. North York General’s (NYGH’s) breast cancer care program, which includes the BMO Breast Diagnostic Clinic (BDC), is Canada’s first comprehensive breast cancer care program to be fully accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons.
We provide breast cancer care through an Integrated Care Collaborative (ICC) – a system of health care providers, clinics and services focused on breast cancer patients and their families. This means that patients are given evidence-based care, following best practices in an interdisciplinary, co-operative setting.
Care delivery cycle
As part of the ICC, you may be seen at the hospital throughout different phases in your care. The activities that take place in each phase will be based on your breast cancer treatment plan and will be discussed with you and your family by a health care provider. At NYGH, we provide education, support and coaching to you and your family throughout your whole breast cancer treatment journey.
BMO Breast Diagnostic Clinic
Since 1997, the BMO Breast Diagnostic Clinic (BDC), part of the Karen, Heather and Lynn Steinberg Breast Centre, has delivered comprehensive services for individuals with suspected breast cancer, as identified by a clinical examination and/or medical imaging abnormalities. Our team of breast cancer experts assess patients using state-of-the-art medical imaging equipment, providing early diagnosis so they can make informed decisions about breast cancer treatment options.
Every year, the BDC sees roughly 1,500 new patients. Working closely with the Charlotte and Lewis Steinberg Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer Clinic, the BDC provides counseling and testing for individuals at high risk of developing an inherited form of breast cancer.
The clinic’s patient education resource area offers a comfortable space for patients and their families to learn more about new breast cancer diagnosis and treatment options. To support the diversity of the North York community, the BDC provides literature in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and other languages.
Learn more about North York General Hospital’s Breast Cancer Program.
Dr. Yasser Botros
MD, FRCSC | General Surgery | English
P: 416-494-0123 | F: 416-494-9021
Dr. Botros completed his residency training in general surgery at the University of Toronto, where he was the recipient of many local awards. He has been a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada since 2002. He went on to do a two-year Community General Surgery Fellowship at North York General Hospital, where he currently is a Staff General Surgeon who has been running a very busy practice since 2004. In 2006, he became a Lecturer at the University of Toronto, Division of General Surgery. Dr. Botros specializes in the following surgical procedures:
- Breast cancer surgery
- Laparoscopic hernia surgery
- Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery
- Colonoscopy and colon cancer surgery
- Thyroid cancer surgery
- Acute care surgery
Dr. Nancy Down
MD, FRCSC, FACS | General Surgery | English
P: 416-491-0345 | F: 416-491-7557
Dr. Down is Division Head of General Surgery at North York General Hospital, Courtesy Staff at Women’s College Hospital Lecturer, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto Medical Lead.
Dr. Down is a graduate of the University of Toronto Medical School and the Gallie Program in General Surgery. Her practice has been in general surgery, with a focus on breast disease.
Dr. Down was instrumental in developing the breast program at North York General Hospital as a multidisciplinary program from diagnosis through treatment. She has led the adoption of stereotactic biopsies, sentinel node biopsies and radioactive seed localization. She is director of the Integrated Breast Care Program and the Breast Diagnostic Centre at North York General Hospital.
She has been medical advisor to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, a member of the Cancer Care Ontario Breast Disease Site Group and on the Quality-based Procedures Expert Advisory panel. A highlight of her career has been being a surgeon for the youngest patient (3 years old) ever reported to have had breast cancer.
Dr. Simon Iu
MD, MSc, FRCSC | General Surgery | English, Cantonese
P: 416-221-1233 | F: 416-221-7873
Dr. Simon Iu was born in Hong Kong but received most of his education in Toronto. He went to middle and secondary school at the University of Toronto Schools (UTS) and completed his undergraduate degree and Master’s of Science (thesis: liver transplantation) at the University of Toronto. In 1988, he completed his fellowship in General Surgery at the University of Toronto and the following year in Thoracic Surgery in Birmingham, England.
His active practice of General and Thoracic Surgery began at North York General Hospital in 1990. In May 2008, he joined the group of Royal Victoria Hospital/Sunnybrook Hospital/Toronto East General Hospital Department of Thoracic Surgery. He is a lecturer at the Department of Surgery in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Special interests: Thoracic surgery, breast oncology, repair of various types of hernias, minimally invasive surgeries of the chest and abdomen.
Dr. Donna McRitchie
MD, MSc, FRCSC | General Surgery | English
P: 416-756-6906 | F: 416-756-6909
Dr. Donna McRitchie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. Donna trained in General Surgery at the University of Toronto after completing a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences. During her surgical training, she obtained a Master’s of Science at the Institute of Medical Science. She did a fellowship in Trauma at the Shock Trauma Institute at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, then a second fellowship in Critical Care at the Harvard program in Boston.
After returning to Toronto, Donna was a General Surgeon, Trauma Surgeon and Intensivist at St. Michael’s Hospital for six years before coming to our hospital in 2000. At North York General Hospital, she was Medical Director of Critical Care from 2000-2013 and Division Chief of General Surgery.
Donna has a busy practice in General Surgery and diseases of the breast. She has participated in Breast Cancer Guideline Review and been a keen supporter of the North York General Breast Cancer Integrated Care Collaborative in her role as Vice President of Medical and Academic Affairs.
Dr. Fahima Osman
MD, MPH, FRCSC | Breast Surgical Oncology and General Surgery | English, Somali
P: 416-446-7626 | F: 416-446-7625
Dr. Fahima Osman is a Breast Surgical Oncologist at North York General Hospital. She received her MD degree at McMaster University and General Surgery residency training at the University of Toronto.
Prior to specializing in breast surgical oncology, Dr. Osman pursued her lifelong dream, which was to volunteer in Somaliland, the country of her origin. During that time, she also worked as an acute care surgeon in rural communities in Northern Ontario and at North York General Hospital.
Fahima is passionate about breast cancer and women’s health and decided to specialize in breast surgical oncology at the University of Toronto and completed a Master’s in Public Health at John Hopkins University. She further pursued subspecialty training in oncoplastic surgery at the Institute de Sein in Paris, France. Fahima’s clinical and research interests are oncoplastic breast surgery, prophylactic mastectomy and global health.
Dr.Brian Pinchuk
MD, CM, FRCSC | General Surgery and General Surgical Oncology | English, French
P: 416-492-1661 | F: 416-492-9723
Dr. Brian Pinchuk is a surgeon at North York General Hospital, where he manages general surgical conditions and specializes in the surgical management of breast and gastrointestinal cancers. He received his medical degree from McGill University and completed his General Surgery residency and Surgical Oncology fellowship training at the University of Toronto.
To remain at the forefront of the advancing field of oncology, he regularly attends and presents at meetings. He is actively involved in training surgical residents and coordinates a multidisciplinary breast cancer rotation for them. He initiated implementation of a clinic to help patients who develop lymphedema as a complication of their breast cancer treatment. He is a consultant for Cancer Care Ontario, working to develop a model for breast cancer survivorship care.
His professional commitments are well balanced with the pleasures of raising a young family.
Dr. David Smith
MD, FRCSC | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, General Surgery | English
P: 416-498-8458 | F: 416-498-9972
Dr. David Smith is a graduate of the University of Toronto Medical School and completed his general surgery residency training in Toronto. During his surgical training, he obtained a Master’s of Science at the Institute of Medical Science. He has been a surgeon at North York General Hospital since 2001. His interest in multidisciplinary cancer care and continuous quality improvement dovetail nicely with the cutting-edge practices of North York General’s breast cancer team.
David was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2000. He developed an interest in Laparoscopic Surgery under the mentoring of Dr. John Hagen. David is currently a lecturer at The University of Toronto. He has a General Surgery practice with a special interest in minimally invasive techniques and is committed to the provincial quality agenda of making the experience of surgical patients better.