Unique MS clinic opens at Burnaby Hospital

By Dan Hilborn
Published Aug. 13, 2005


A new clinic that caters to the needs of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) was quietly opened at Burnaby Hospital earlier this year, and already it is helping people with the condition cope with its often-devastating effects.

In fact, even the clinic's location, on the main floor straight down the hallway from the main entrance to the hospital, is one of great assets of the 1,800-sq.-ft. facility, said clinic director and neurologist Dr. Galina Vorobeychik.

"For patients who have MS, one of the most difficult parts of their life is travelling," said Vorobeychik, who heads a team of four neurologists, two therapists, several counsellors and office staff. "The most common symptoms of MS are fatigue, vision problems, pain and mobility."

The clinic, which has seen about 350 patients since it opened in January, is already making a difference in the life of Brenda Worthington, an MS sufferer who lives in Burnaby who used to travel between a variety of doctors' and therapists' offices to get the services she needs.

"My GP referred me here," said Worthington, who was diagnosed with the disease 18 years ago but went through "nine years of denial" until she had to use a cane. A car accident later exacerbated her symptoms, and Worthington was finally forced into a wheelchair, which she now uses every time she gets out and about.

Vorobeychik said the clinic will focus on what she calls "the five Cs - comprehensive, coordinated, community-based MS care, close to home."

"MS is a very complex disease that mostly hits young adults," the doctor said. "Because their needs change over the course of the disease, they need changing care and that's why I think a clinic is a good idea, because it offers the team approach."

The four specialists at the clinic are: a neuro-ophthalmologist to deal with eye problems; a rehabilitation physician who works with a physiotherapist and occupational therapist; a general internal medicine physician to deal with problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure; and a gastro-enterologist who works exclusively on stomach problems. A urologist is associated with the clinic but is located elsewhere.

Other staff include a nurse with a specialty in MS who serves as clinic coordinator, a social worker, a clinical counsellor who deals with urgent cases and a research coordinator. "Our main goals is care, but we will do research as well," Vorobeychik said.

Worthington was referred to the clinic in the hopes of finding some relief from the intense pain in her face caused by a flare-up of trigeneral neuralgia - a condition common to MS.

"I can smile and talk now," she chuckled. "You have no idea how good that feels. Before, even a simple breeze could bring on this tremendous pain."

Another recurring problem faced by Worthington and many other MS patients is heat exhaustion. "In the summertime, I'm very affected by heat," she said. "Everyone I know with MS is really hit by fatigue. you can be out and about, and you have to lie down, right now."

MS is an unusual disease in that it can give different symptoms to different people. Technically, the disease strikes at the myelin, sometimes known as white matter, in the human brain, causing the immune system to dysfunction and stopping or slowing down the signals from the nervous system. The actual symptoms a person experiences depend on what area of the brain the MS has struck.

"That's why people with MS have so many symptoms - it depends on what part of the brain it's in," Vorobeychik said. "Some parts of the brain are more affected than others, but it can go anywhere."

For Worthington, the first sign that she had MS came was when she was 20 years old. She as at work on day, and felt what appeared to be an earthquake rumble under her feet. It was a symptom that has never completely disappeared.

Worthington admits she was lucky enough to be able to walk for nine years before needing a cane, and she married a man who has been extremely supportive.

"I get away without doing housework, so I guess there are some good things," she jokes.

Patients who attend the clinic can book appointments with their specialists without having to go through the often-lengthy wait lists, and they received the added benefit of knowing an entire team of MS specialists are familiar with their case.

While MS is a debilitating disease with a variety of effects and symptoms, it is not fatal. And because its patients typically live as long as anyone else, the longterm costs of treating the disease averages $1.5 million per patient, Vorobeychik said.

Fraser Health is the last of the six health regions in B.C. to open a dedicated MS Clinic. Vorobeychik noted that B.C. has the second highest prevalence of the disease in Canada, after Saskatchewan and, based on population statistics, an estimated 3,000 sufferers live in the region with up to 500 living in Burnaby alone.

And unlike most specialized medical clinics in B.C., which are academic clinics that specialize in research, the Burnaby Hospital MS Clinic is being described as community clinic that will focus its attention on the patients.

This fall, Vorobeychik and her colleagues will attend the World Conference on Neurology where they will give two presentations on the first community-based MS clinic in B.C.