In late June (2025), Brandon’s Keith Barr was camping in Riding Mountain National Park, lying under the stars—pain-free and cancer-free. Just three weeks earlier, he had been lying on an operating room table at Health Sciences Centre (HSC), waiting for his cancerous prostate to be removed.
When Barr’s PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels rose to concerning levels in the spring, Dr. Jay Nayak, urologic surgeon and co-founder of Men’s Health Clinic Manitoba, offered him a surgical option. Barr, a mostly retired heavy equipment mechanic and millwright, began researching the procedure and speaking with others who had been through it.
“When you start to go through this, you’re pretty scared,” says Barr, 67. “I know people who have had their prostates removed. Sometimes the result isn’t too favourable and people have negative outcomes that they have to live with for the rest of their lives.”
Barr’s experience was very different, thanks in part to the da Vinci Xi surgical robot, funded by donors through the HSC Foundation’s Operation Excellence campaign. The technology allowed Dr. Nayak to remove Barr’s prostate and surrounding tissue with remarkable precision, using several small incisions rather than one large incision.
“I had a good outcome in part because Dr. Nayak didn’t have to cut me open from the belly button all the way down,” says Barr. “Instead, I think I had six small incisions. The biggest one was maybe an inch long.”
Barr arrived at HSC early Monday morning and was discharged the next afternoon. He experienced some shoulder pain for a day or two from the carbon dioxide used during the procedure, but virtually no pain at the incision sites.
“The worst pain was on the ride back to the hotel,” he laughs. “My wife and I left the hospital and hailed a cab. All we could get was a really old Dodge Caravan. It was a bumpy ride!”
The drive home to Brandon the next day was uneventful. Barr used a catheter for two weeks and continues to monitor his PSA levels, but otherwise feels good. Over the summer, he attended music and dance festivals, went camping and continued making himself available for occasional maintenance work at the paper mill in The Pas where he worked for many years.
With conventional surgery, Barr likely would have faced a longer hospital stay and recovery. Instead, the robotic approach helped him return to his normal routine much faster.
“Dr. Nayak was great. I had plenty of opportunities to ask questions and I was confident throughout the process,” Barr says. “And I know that we only have the robot at HSC because of the generosity of donors. I’m really grateful for the people who contributed.”
We All Need HSC, and HSC Needs You
You can save a life – today. When you purchase your HSC Millionaire Lottery tickets, you’re helping HSC provide the care Manitobans count on – and create new possibilities for patients like Keith.
Because HSC isn’t just a hospital. It’s Manitoba’s hospital.
And while you’re helping transform health care in Manitoba, you’ll have the chance to win millions in prizes!
Win big and give back. Order tickets today!