MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
February 15 , 2011
LONDON, Ontario - London Health Sciences Centre’s London Regional Cancer Program (LRCP) is pleased to announce its virtual orientation website, located at http://lrcp.tours.lhsc.on.ca, has been selected as a finalist in the Educational Resource category at South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Interactive.
Taking place in Austin, Texas from March 11-20, SXSW® is an annual set of conferences for the music, film and interactive industries. The interactive awards feature finalists nominated in a variety of categories to honour the most innovative trends, products and developments in the new media industry.
"We are thrilled to be recognized as a finalist at this esteemed conference,” said Gale Turnbull, manager of Supportive Care and Education at LRCP, who also led the virtual orientation project. "The site was developed with the needs of our patients in mind and we have had tremendous feedback. This nomination reinforces the incredible effort that everyone put into this project and is one more example of LRCP’s success at serving our patients and their families.”
Launched in September, the virtual orientation site provides first-time patients the opportunity to take a guided tour of the cancer program’s facilities, and meet some of the staff who may be providing their care, without having to leave the comfort of their own homes.
The site was developed in conjunction with local web firm Resolution Interactive Media (ResIM).
“It's rewarding to see a project produced in London for a London-based client recognized alongside names like Pepsi, Groupon, and Diesel,” said ResIM partner Jonathan Kochis. “Being a finalist at South by Southwest is a rare occurrence and something the entire ResIM team is very proud of.”
In response to the incredible success of the virtual orientation project, London Health Sciences Foundation is currently in the midst of raising funds that will allow LRCP to develop two additional virtual orientation websites. These new sites will orient patients to the process of undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been in the forefront of medicine in Canada for 135 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, South Street Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, a joint research initiative with St. Joseph’s Health Care, London. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 50 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in Southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca
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For media inquiries contact:
Cory Habermehl
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 58738
cory.habermehl@lhsc.on.ca
After-hours assistance:
Call LHSC Switchboard at 519-685-8500 and ask to page the communication consultant on-call
Visit the LHSC Media web site at www.lhsc.on.ca/media
