“I know the cancer would have grown larger if we didn’t catch it in time.”

At just 21 years old, Tamanna was not expecting a cancer diagnosis.

After her mother noticed a lump on her neck and insisted it be checked, Tamanna came to SHN for answers. Within days, she had them.

That speed was made possible through the donor-funded Dr. Jim Arnott Thyroid Rapid Diagnostic Assessment Clinic (TRDAC) and by SHN’s laboratory teams. Together, they are powering an advanced diagnostic approach called Rapid On-Site Evaluation (ROSE).

SHN is among the only hospitals in Canada using this approach to deliver faster, more coordinated thyroid cancer diagnosis and treatment.

At the heart of this transformation is the lab.

ROSE enables specially trained lab professionals, including cytologists, to examine biopsy samples in real time while the patient is still in the room. This immediate feedback ensures there is enough cellular material for diagnosis and allows the care team to act right away.

In many settings, patients may wait days or even weeks to learn whether a biopsy sample is usable, sometimes requiring repeat procedures. At SHN, that uncertainty is reduced, helping move patients more quickly toward treatment.

During National Medical Laboratory Week (April 12 to 18), SHN recognizes its lab professionals for their role in delivering faster, more seamless cancer care.

‍

Today, Tamanna is cancer-free and doing well because of that support.

Tamanna was able to have a consult and biopsy on the same day so she could begin treatment right away, says Dr. Michael Chang, Head of Otolaryngology at SHN. “Her results revealed a very high probability of thyroid cancer.”

She immediately underwent a total thyroidectomy, which showed the cancer had already started spreading to her lymph nodes, followed by additional treatment after surgery.
Before this clinic was established, Tamanna would have waited between eight and 11 months for treatment. Instead, she was back to work in just over two months.

“Her life was put on pause, but only for a short time,” said Dr. Chang. “She is doing well, and her life is back on track.”

This innovative model was made possible through the visionary generosity of the Arnott family. It honours the late Dr. Jim Arnott, an exceptional leader and highly respected endocrinologist, who was committed to clinical excellence at SHN’s Centenary Hospital, where he served as Chief of Medicine for 12 years. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, deeply committed to caring for patients with thyroid disease.

It has also enabled investment in specialized lab roles and advanced equipment, ensuring samples can be collected, processed, and reviewed the same day, with results often available within 24 to 48 hours. Before the introduction of this model , only 79 per cent of patients were receiving care within provincial wait time targets. SHN now meets provincial wait time targets for thyroid cancer care 100 per cent of the time.

SHN Pathologist Dr. Muhannad Hassan says this same approach is also being used to diagnose other forms of cancer, including gynecological cancers and tumours in the stomach or intestine.

At SHN, more than 200 laboratory professionals perform millions of tests each year, supporting care for hundreds of thousands of patients across the community.