North York General Hospital’s (NYGH) breast cancer care program in Toronto, which includes the BMO Breast Diagnostic Clinic, is the first comprehensive breast cancer care program in Canada to receive full accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons.
We strive to put patients first in everything we do. Our goal is to provide excellent patient- and family-centred care throughout your stay or visit at the hospital.
Breast Cancer Care at NYGH is provided through an Integrated Care Collaborative (ICC). An ICC is a system of health care providers, clinics and services focused on breast cancer patients and their families. This focus means that patients receive evidence-based care, following best practices in a multi-disciplinary, collaborative environment.
Physician team
Learn about the skilled surgeons and plastic surgeons who are part of North York General Hospital’s breast cancer care program:
MD, FRCSC
Practice: General Surgery
Language: English
Contact
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 is currently 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 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:
Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery
Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery
Colonoscopy and Colon Cancer Surgery
Breast Cancer Surgery
Thyroid Cancer Surgery
Acute Care Surgery
MD, FRCSC, FACS
Practice: General Surgery
Language: English
Contact
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 NYGH 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 Quality-based Procedures Expert Advisory panel. A highlight of her career has been to be surgeon for the youngest patient (3 years old) ever reported to have had breast cancer.
MD, MPH, FRCSC
Practice: Breast Surgical Oncology, General Surgery
Languages: English, Somali
Contact
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 NYGH.
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 Masters in Public Health at Johns 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.
MD, CM, FRCSC
Practice: General Surgery, General Surgical Oncology
Languages: English, French
Contact
P: 416-492-1661
F: 416-492-9723
Dr. Brian Pinchuk is a surgeon at North York General Hospital where 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.
MD, FRCSC
Practice: General Surgery
Language: English
Contact
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.
MD, FRCSC
Practice: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Language: English
Contact
P: 416-554-9860
F: 416-491-7022
Dr. Mahoney completed medical school at the University of Western Ontario. She was the recipient of several awards including the General Proficiency Prize for academic excellence. She completed her Plastic Surgery Residency training at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Mahoney has always had a special interest in breast reconstruction, with a focus in immediate breast reconstruction and oncoplastic breast surgery. She continues to have an interest in clinical outcomes breast surgery research, and teaching of surgical skills to trainees at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Mahoney values continual one-on-one patient care and informed decision-making. She aims to provide the opportunity for every breast cancer patient to be considered for breast reconstruction.
MD, MSc, FRCSC
Practice: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Languages: English, French
Contact
P: 416-323-6336
F: 416-323-6325
Dr. Somogyi completed medical school at the University of Toronto with Honours. He completed an intensive five-year residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Toronto, followed by a fellowship in reconstructive surgery at Australia’s largest cancer hospital and a second fellowship in general and cosmetic plastic surgery at the Melbourne Institute of Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Somogyi maintains an active research interest in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, particularly in the area of breast surgery. He has recently published journal articles and book chapters on Breast Reconstruction, Surgical Safety and Breast Augmentation.
Dr. Somogyi is personable and confident. His goal is to provide a comprehensive assessment of every patient and provide all the necessary tools to allow each patient to make a comfortable and effective decision.
Practice: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Care delivery cycle
Breast cancer is a complex disease that will affect one in nine Canadian women during their lifetime. Breast cancer can also occur in men but it is not common, with occurrence in less than 1% of all cases (to learn more about breast cancer in men, click here).
As part of the ICC, you may be seen at the hospital during different phases in your care. The activities involved in each phase will be based on your treatment plan and will be discussed with you and your family by a health care provider.
All patients and families have access to a patient navigator at NYGH. The patient navigator is your dedicated contact and resource, providing emotional support, coordination of care, and education every step of the way. By working with you, your family, and clinical staff, the patient navigator is your care coordinator, making sure you know what to expect and when and where your next appointment will be.
Support and Counselling
A diagnosis of breast cancer and coping with the treatment is difficult for most patients and their family members. The need for support can begin even before diagnosis and continue to the end of treatment and beyond. Learn more about support and counselling resources here.