<div class="ExternalClass11B97723570F43F69CFA1C1966586267"><div><div><div><div style="box-sizing:border-box;border:2px solid #843275;padding:20px;"><p><em></em><strong>COVID-19 update</strong><br></p><p>As you all know, these are unprecedented times. The BC Minister of Health has announced that all non-emergency surgeries in BC be cancelled to redirect resources to the growing demands of the COVID-19. The Gender Surgery Program BC is putting all scheduled surgeries on hold as the operating rooms and their resources are being re-utilized to help sustain patients affected by COVID-19. We recognize that this is an incredibly difficult time and that there will be significant negative impacts on our trans, non-binary and gender diverse communities as a result of this situation. <br></p><p>We believe that gender-affirming surgery is an essential and life-saving service and we hope to get back to this important work soon. We are in a state of emergency and the health care system is doing what we can to keep you, your family, your loved ones safe.<br></p><p>We still have some limited availability for appointments via telehealth or phone and for urgent in-person appointments. Get in touch if you have an urgent or pressing matter. Our waitlist for gender-affirming lower surgery remain open and we are still accepting new referrals. It is expected that procedures and in-person appointments will resume when the situation has stabilized.<br></p></div></div><p><br>The Gender Surgery Program B.C., including the Gender Surgery Clinic, opened at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) in September 2019, making VGH Western Canada's only hospital performing lower gender-affirming surgeries for transgender and gender-diverse people.<br></p><p>The Gender Surgery Program is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of health care providers and surgical specialists devoted to providing high-quality gender-affirming treatment and surgical care. Patients will receive care through the Gender Surgery Clinic through their entire surgical journey, including pre- and post-operative care, until discharged to their primary care provider. <br></p><p>The Gender Surgery Program offers both feminizing and masculinizing procedures consistent with the guidelines established by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH). <br></p><h2>Feminizing Procedures <br></h2><div><div><ul><li><p>breast construction</p></li><li><p>orchiectomy</p></li><li><p>vaginoplasty <br></p></li><li><p>vulvoplasty <br></p></li><li><p>revision surgery <br></p></li></ul><div><h2>Masculinizing Procedures </h2><div><ul><li><p>chest masculinization (mastectomy, also called top surgery)</p></li><li><p>metoidioplasty </p></li><li><p>clitoral release </p></li><li><p>phalloplasty</p></li><li><p>penile and testicular implant surgery </p></li><li><p>revision surgery <br></p></li></ul></div><p>All procedures will be performed at surgical sites in Vancouver.<br></p><p>**For breast construction and mastectomy referrals go through the central waitlist at <a href="http://www.phsa.ca/our-services/programs-services/trans-care-bc" target="_blank">Trans Care BC</a>. <br></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>

2775 Laurel Street

Station 4A, 7th Floor, DHCC

GenderSurgeryProgramBC@vch.ca

604-875-5075

<div class="ExternalClass728D08D37414470BBA48F72AB2718A87"><p>Clinic hours will be Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.<br></p></div>

604-875-5060

V5Z 1M9

British Columbia

<div class="ExternalClass5FD2EDBFBB1F4454B7C7D21A3C8CAC83"><p>Pay parking is available at our two visitor lots located on the VGH campus:<br></p><div><div><ul><li>The VGH parkade at the corner of West 12th Avenue and Laurel Street, across from the main entrance of the Jim Pattison Pavilion. There is a wheelchair-accessible overpass from the VGH parkade at Level 4 and a crosswalk at Level 2.</li><li>The Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre underground parking lot located off of Laurel Street between West 10th and West 12th Avenues.<br></li></ul></div><div>Download <a href="/_layouts/15/DocIdRedir.aspx?ID=VCHCA-1797567310-1376" target="_blank">parking rates for VCH facilities</a>.<br><br></div></div></div>

49.2611442,-123.1260572

<div class="ExternalClass1568D5124B6B4E58BEE825691CD1A9B5"><h2>​Information Session<br></h2><div><br></div><p>Thank you to all that attended the Information Session on 18th September at VGH. The recorded session is now available <a href="https://nexuswebcast.mediasite.com/Mediasite/Play/2707891ca4c147f3976e03504676d8671d" target="_blank">here</a>.<br></p><p>Thankyou for all the great questions at the information session. Please see attached <a href="/_layouts/15/DocIdRedir.aspx?ID=VCHCA-1797567310-2168" target="_blank"><img class="ms-asset-icon ms-rtePosition-4" src="/_layouts/images/icgen.gif" alt="" />Frequently Asked Questions</a> document.<br></p></div>

Vancouver General Hospital – Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Meet the surgeons

Referral and surgical journey

<div class="ExternalClass79ACEFF1B51B4A3CA6CC4CB09C06657A"><h3>​Dr. Krista Genoway, M.D., FRCSC <br></h3><p>Dr. Genoway is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. She completed her medical school and residency training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of British Columbia. She then completed a fellowship in reconstructive microsurgery with a sub-specialty focus on providing gender-affirming surgical care in San Francisco, California. Dr. Genoway began offering upper chest surgery, including chest contouring and breast construction (augmentation), in 2016, and masculinizing and feminizing lower surgery in 2019. She is a clinical instructor in the Department of Surgery at the University of B.C. <br></p><h3>Dr. Alex Kavanagh BSc. PEngg. MPH. MD. FRCSC</h3><p>Dr. Kavanagh is a reconstructive urologist certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He completed medical school at the University of Calgary and a Master of Public Health at Harvard University. His urologic residency was completed at UBC, and he has since completed a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery in Houston, as well as a fellowship in male urethral and pelvic reconstruction with Dr. Sanjay Kulkarni. Dr. Kavanagh has also completed visiting fellowships at several centres of excellence in gender-affirming surgery, including Crane and Brownstein Surgical (Drs. Curtis Crane and Richard Santucci), the New York Langone School of Medicine (Dr. Lee Zhao) and Mount Sinai Hospital (Dr. Ting). <br></p></div>

<div class="ExternalClass5C4E73D7573A41FC8A8CC482AF124462"><h3>1. Get a referral to the Gender Surgery Program of B.C. at VGH</h3><div>Your primary care provider sends a referral, including your two completed readiness assessments, to the Gender Surgery Program’s clinic at VGH. </div><div><br></div><div>Print and fill out the <a href="/_layouts/15/DocIdRedir.aspx?ID=VCHCA-1797567310-2147" target="_blank"><img class="ms-asset-icon ms-rtePosition-4" src="/_layouts/images/icgen.gif" alt="" />lower surgery referral form</a>.<br></div><div>Fill out the<a href="/_layouts/15/DocIdRedir.aspx?ID=VCHCA-1797567310-2206" target="_blank"><img class="ms-asset-icon ms-rtePosition-4" src="/_layouts/images/icgen.gif" alt="" />lower surgery referral form online</a>.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Forms will need to be printed and submitted by fax: 604-875-5075<br><br></div><h3>2. Meet with the surgeons for a consultation</h3><div>When the Gender Surgery Clinic receives your referral and assessments, you will be placed on the waitlist for a consultation. A clinic staff member will contact you to book a consultation with the surgeons. </div><div><br></div><h3>3. Prepare for surgery</h3><div>When you’re ready for surgery, you’ll be placed on the surgery waitlist. You will be contacted when your surgery date is confirmed, and the Gender Surgery Clinic team will help prepare you for your surgery. </div><div><br></div><h3>4. Have surgery and recover</h3><div>Complete your surgery at the most appropriate care facility in Vancouver. As part of your recovery and post-operation care, you will attend follow-up appointments at the Gender Surgery Clinic at VGH. </div><div><br></div><h3>5. Discharge to primary care provider</h3><div>When your post-operative care is complete, you will be discharged from the Gender Surgery Clinic to your primary care provider for any required ongoing care.<br></div></div>