According to the BC Cancer Foundation, cancer cases in Kamloops and surrounding areas are expected to rise by a third over the next 20 years. With a growing, aging population facing the stress of the disease, many in the Interior who are already dealing with cancer have had to travel long distances to either 麻豆精选 or Vancouver for diagnosis and treatment.
Many B.C. Interior residents do access some additional cancer-related health services in Kamloops, much closer to their hometowns. However, life-saving radiation therapy has only been available at B.C. cancer centres in 麻豆精选 or in the Lower Mainland.
In an interview with Black Press on April 4, minister of health Josie Osborne delivered some 鈥済ood news鈥� regarding the $59 million cancer centre project that is scheduled to move forward at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) in Kamloops in the near future.
鈥淭he project is on track to complete in 2028," she said. "The procurement process is underway right now and we expect construction to start in late summer this year. We know how important this is for people living in the entire region to be able to access cancer care so much closer to home."
Osborne said the government has initiated a review at the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) which is currently underway. 鈥淲e are really looking at the administration, and the efficiency and effectiveness of all the programs and services that are delivered there. We chose to focus first on the PHSA because of its provincial reach that touches every British Columbian through the services offered through BC Cancer, BC Children鈥檚 Hospital, BC Women鈥檚 Hospital and the BC Emergency Health Services. Also the way PHSA partners with other health authorities to deliver shared services like blood and lab testing and information technology programs; the things in the background that make everything work.
The minister said that, following the PHSA review, the ministry will roll out the reviews of the regional health authorities as well.
鈥淲e are really focused on making sure that the best use and the most possible resources are being applied right on the front line delivering care to patients. The review that will take place with Interior Health will not have an impact on the cancer centre construction in Kamloops. I want to assure people that there won鈥檛 be any delays that are created by undertaking this administrative review.鈥�
When asked about what services will be offered at the new RIH cancer centre, Osborne replied, 鈥淥ne of the questions I鈥檝e been asked is whether there will be a PET-CT scanner in the Kamloops cancer centre, and there will not. It just could not be accommodated within the floor plate of the cancer centre project. It would have reduced the scope of other critical services that need to be there.
"What the centre will have is radiation therapy planning including a CT simulator. That鈥檚 the machine that pinpoints the exact location and shape of a tumour, and it really helps the radiation oncologists deliver the most effective radiation treatment plan.鈥�
Osborne explained the centre will have three treatment rooms for high energy radiation treatment using linear accelerators (or linac) which she says is 鈥渢he big new thing.鈥� A linear accelerator is a machine used in external beam radiation therapy that creates and delivers high-energy x-ray beams. bit.ly/4lhnrCM
鈥淗aving this type of treatment available at the new Kamloops cancer centre will eliminate the need for so many people to have to travel to 麻豆精选. The centre will also include a net new, in addition to what Royal Inland already has, MRI suite which will include an outpatient ambulatory care unit that has 10 exam rooms and two consultation rooms.鈥�
The minister noted that the centre will 鈥渕ake a big difference鈥� in providing services for people who live in the region and 鈥渂ring cancer care closer to home.鈥� She says she has heard how heavily used the radiation therapy services in 麻豆精选 are when hearing from patients driving there from the Kamloops region.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we knew we had to expand cancer care treatment in Kamloops. I really thank Mike O鈥橰eilly, chair of the Thompson Regional Hospital District [TRHD], and [vice-chair] mayor of Clearwater Merlin Blackwell, who have been such passionate advocates for this project.鈥�
On Feb. 8, 2024, former minister of health Adrian Dix announced the approval of the business plan for the new cancer centre at RIH. A campaign group called "Cancer Won鈥檛 Wait" was formed by the TRHD following the announcement, an initiative that both O鈥橰eilly and Blackwell helped to create. The purpose of the campaign was to demonstrate to the B.C. government that expanding cancer services was a priority for people in the region, after one had been promised for many years.
Osborne told Black Press there is also a recruitment plan to bring in physicians, nurses, and other health care workers to B.C. on the horizon.
鈥淥ur universal public health care system is something to be so proud of because it matches the values of people who choose to go into medicine and health care as a career. We鈥檝e heard from people living in the States who want to move to Canada and specifically B.C., so we are launching a campaign with targeted advertising down into the western U.S. inviting physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to come north to B.C. We hope to make it easier for them to become licensed and practice here.鈥�
Speaking to Black Press on April 4, O鈥橰eilly said 鈥淔rom everything we hear about scheduling and budget, everything appears to be 'on time' for the project." He added that it is almost 30 years since 麻豆精选 got a cancer centre instead of Kamloops.
"Going forward, one of the things we are looking at and pushing for is to have the BC Cancer Foundation run cancer services, not only in the new space with the radiation and the linear accelerators, but with the existing cancer treatment in Royal Inland Hospital," he said. "Essentially what we will have when the facility opens is one health authority offering cancer treatment on one side of the street doing radiation, and another health authority offering cancer treatment on the other side of the street.
"There are patients that require many different types of treatment, not just one or the other, and I firmly believe that BC Cancer is the best agency to provide cancer treatment in British Columbia. That鈥檚 what we are hoping for in the Thompson Regional District.鈥�
O鈥橰eilly said there are 鈥渃oncerns鈥� that currently the electronic medical records between Interior Health and BC Cancer 鈥渄o not talk to each other,鈥� although they have been told the two health authorities are 鈥渨orking on that鈥� and it should be remedied by the time the RIH centre opens.
鈥淏ut there are no guarantees on that, and we believe that BC Cancer is the best agency to provide cancer treatment in the province. That鈥檚 what we want for our residents in this region," he said.
Blackwell told Black Press that one of his contributions to the conversation is that he is a cancer survivor.
"I鈥檝e had my own experiences of having to travel long distances for care, especially on winter roads, to places like Quesnel, 麻豆精选, or to Vancouver, which puts an added stress and risk on your life when you aren鈥檛 feeling well already. It鈥檚 just not the same experience living in the Lower Mainland, driving a shorter distance for treatment. The more we can do under one roof at the BC Cancer Agency the better it is for everyone鈥檚 health and safety.鈥�
Both O鈥橰eilly and Blackwell mentioned that many Interior residents forgo or delay diagnosis or care during bad weather in the winter months to avoid risking the long drives to the Okanagan.
鈥淧eople living as far away as Blue River will delay treatment for months because it鈥檚 not an easy, safe thing to do, travelling such a long distance to 麻豆精选," said Blackwell. "By the time they are diagnosed their condition could require far more treatment.鈥�
Osborne, too, spoke from a personal perspective. 鈥淢y husband was diagnosed with cancer four years ago and, living in Tofino, we had to travel to Nanaimo for him to receive chemotherapy. It really hits home for me, the impacts these travel distances have. It鈥檚 more than just a car ride; you鈥檝e got to have a driver and often stay overnight.
"That鈥檚 why all of these supports we provide for residents in rural communities really make a difference. I appreciate and understand the need and urgency to complete this project in Kamloops.鈥�
