At this year’s River Ball: Moonlight Midway By The River Humber River Hospital Foundation is proud to present Dr. Sebastian Rodriquez with the 2019 Doctor of Philanthropy award!

It is hard to imagine what it would be like living each day when simple tasks like walking without pain, bending down to pick up something you dropped, or even hugging your grandchildren became an agonizing struggle. But this is exactly what patients with osteoarthritis face every day. Often at the end of the line of conservative treatments, a joint replacement is the only hope of restoring the quality of life they once enjoyed. This is precisely what motivates Dr. Sebastian Rodriguez to do the work he does.

As an Orthopaedic  Surgeon at Humber River Hospital, specializing in Trauma and Adult Hip and Knee Reconstruction, Dr. Rodriguez’s vision has been to improve surgical recovery times and patient experience by embracing the use of minimally invasive techniques. His surgical technique and use of advanced surgical technology has allowed him to make this vision a reality and as a result, Humber has become a leader in mi

“I am grateful for the patients that see the benefits of fundraising along with me to help more people get the same, positive outcomes,” says Dr. Sebastian Rodriguez.

nimally invasive direct anterior approach hip arthoplasty and the first GTA hospital to perform same-day total hip replacement.

Patients at Humber have been touched by his talent and focus on pioneering innovative techniques like life-changing Director Anterior Approach (DAA) surgery in the GTA. He is committed to ensuring the Humber community has innovative and exceptional care.

While ensuring the best outcome for his patients is his primary focus, Dr. Rodriguez’s impact reaches far beyond the operating table. His initiatives have led to improved surgical recovery times and shortened hospital stays, freeing up resources to provide care to more patients. He has been a true partner in fundraising recognizing the role of grateful patients and philanthropic support in providing top-level care. His desire to advance patient care in hip surgery came to life when funds were raised to bring in two new HANA tables – the specialized OR table used to perform the DAA surgery.

“Initially, we had the HANA table on trial,” says Dr. Rodriguez. “We wanted to see if I could do the procedure, if it would work, what the results would be, and that there would be no complications. The pilot project lasted three months, and the results produced grateful patients who were eager to work with the Humber River Hospital Foundation to raise the funds to cover the purchase of the first table.”

We are honoured to present Dr. Rodriguez with the 2019 Doctor of Philanthropy award and celebrate the work he does at this year’s River Ball: Moonlight Midway By The River!

“I’m grateful to work in a facility that fosters a culture of innovation and that allowed us to bring this trial to life,” says Dr. Rodriguez. “And I am grateful for the patients that saw the benefits of fundraising along with me to help more people get the same, positive outcomes.”