For many people with epilepsy, life is filled with unpredictability. Will today be the day a seizure strikes—at work, outside, or during a cherished moment with family? For 12,000 people in our province living with epilepsy, this uncertainty is a daily reality. And for thousands of them, medication isn’t enough.
I am Dr. Amit Persad, a neurosurgeon at Royal University Hospital and a proud graduate of the U of S College of Medicine Neurosurgery program. Thanks to donor support of RUH Foundation’s Fellowship Grant, I am currently mid-way through an intensive year-long training program in epilepsy surgery at Western University—one of the highest-volume surgical epilepsy centres in North America. This specialized training is preparing me to bring the latest advances in epilepsy surgery to Saskatchewan, ensuring that patients here receive world-class care, right at home.
For those with drug-resistant epilepsy, surgery can be life-changing. But before surgery can even be considered, doctors must pinpoint exactly where in the brain seizures are coming from—a process that has traditionally been invasive, painful, and time-consuming.
There is a better way. But we need your help.
A neurosurgical robot can guide placement of electrodes with incredible precision, making the procedure far less invasive and drastically reducing operative duration, recovery time, and risks. This means patients can get the answers they need faster—and move toward a future with fewer seizures, or even freedom from them altogether.
Investing in this groundbreaking technology is not just about improving patient outcomes—it’s about ensuring Saskatchewan remains at the forefront of medical innovation. Bringing this equipment to Royal University Hospital will help attract and retain highly skilled specialists, including myself, to provide the advanced care our patients deserve. After completing my epilepsy surgery fellowship, I am committed to returning to Saskatoon to operate this equipment and offer hope to patients who have exhausted all other treatment options.
Thanks to a generous matching gift from Saskatchewan philanthropist Merlis Belsher and his family, every dollar up to $600,000, that you give today will be doubled. The $1.2 million we hope to raise will fully fund the launch of this program at RUH in fall 2025—bringing world-class epilepsy care to Saskatchewan, close to home.
As a neurosurgeon, I have seen the profound impact epilepsy surgery can have. I have performed over 100 epilepsy procedures during my fellowship, witnessing patients regain their independence, return to work, and reclaim their lives. Now, I am eager to bring this expertise home to Saskatchewan—but I cannot do it alone.
Will you help bring this life-changing care to those who need it most?
Your gift to RUH Foundation will give hope to people who have exhausted every other treatment option. You will help make seizure-free lives possible.
Please give today. Your generosity will truly change lives!
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P.S. Every dollar you give will be matched up to $600,000 by Merlis Belsher and Family, doubling your impact! Your donation today will help bring the neurosurgical robot to Saskatchewan—helping more patients get the care they need.
Give now and make twice the difference!
