First cardiac cath lab south of the Fraser
People in Surrey and nearby communities will soon get advanced heart care much closer to home. The first cardiac cath lab south of the Fraser is set to open at Surrey Memorial Hospital on December 8, bringing interventional cardiology right into the city.
At a news conference at Surrey Memorial, Premier David Eby said Surrey residents deserve health care “close to home,” without long drives or long waits in other cities. He framed the first cardiac cath lab south of the Fraser as a key part of building up Surrey’s health-care system so patients get specialized care when and where they need it.
What the new cardiac cath lab will do
The new cardiac catheterization suites will handle minimally invasive heart procedures such as angioplasty, diagnostic angiography and invasive coronary imaging. Instead of open-heart surgery, cardiologists guide small instruments through blood vessels to diagnose and treat blocked or damaged arteries.
Until now, patients from Surrey who needed these procedures had to travel to Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster or to hospitals in Vancouver. Once the first cardiac cath lab south of the Fraser opens, many of those patients will be able to stay at Surrey Memorial, closer to family support and follow‑up care.
Interventional radiology coming in January
A second phase of the project will add two interventional radiology suites, scheduled to open on January 8, 2026. These rooms will support targeted treatments for some cancers, heart‑related conditions and other internal issues, again using image‑guided, minimally invasive techniques.
Premier Eby said these radiology services will mean patients no longer have to leave Surrey for procedures that help doctors “get a look, understand and intervene” on complex conditions. Together with the cardiac lab, the unit is designed as an interventional hub for the south-of-Fraser region.
‘Sweet music’ for patients and families
Dr. Dwayne Conway, regional co‑director of interventional cardiology for Fraser Health and department head at Surrey Memorial, called the new cath lab “a meaningful step forward” for patients and the wider region. He said timely access to interventional cardiology can make a major difference to outcomes and has long been a worry for families south of the Fraser.
Conway compared the team behind the first cardiac cath lab south of the Fraser to a symphony orchestra, with each nurse, technologist, physician and support worker playing a critical part. He said their “sweet music” will be the steady heartbeat of patients and the community as more people receive care closer to home.
What it means for Surrey’s health-care system
Fraser Health CEO Dermot Kelly said the new interventional unit is about more than high‑tech equipment. For him, it represents better care on some of the “most difficult days” in people’s lives, when they arrive scared and in need of fast, coordinated support.
The first cardiac cath lab south of the Fraser also lands amid ongoing calls for reform at Surrey Memorial, including from the family of Rowan Hamilton, whose sudden death drew attention to gaps in emergency and cardiac care. For many Surrey residents, these new suites are a sign that long‑promised investments in local health care are finally starting to materialize.
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