Community Support Building on the Legacy of Exceptional Cancer Care
Published Tuesday, April 9, 2024
by Graham Strong
It's hard to believe that it's been 12 years since the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation launched the Exceptional Cancer Care Campaign (ECC). A success by any measure, that campaign helped ensure that more cancer patients could get more services right here in Northwestern Ontario, closer to family and friends.
Time and again, we've seen how important that's been. Samantha Frade, who had cancer treatments in Thunder Bay and in Toronto, tells us firsthand how important it is to have those services here. “There is something about being at home that allows all your support system to be more accessible to you,” Samantha said. “It's... home.”
She also told of the time when the ageing PET/CT unit, which helps pinpoint tumours, broke down in the middle of her scan.
“I was disappointed, but I was more heartfelt for the three people behind me. Two were from out of town and would have to come back again,” she said. Anyone who has driven the roads in Northwestern Ontario during winter knows how stressful rebooking an appointment in Thunder Bay can be.
The fact is, most of that equipment our Cancer Centre purchased 12 years ago is ageing and needs to be replaced.
“Twelve years is the distant past in the world of cutting-edge cancer care,” said Dr. Joseph Del Paggio, our new Chief of Oncology at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “New advancements and ageing equipment mean we need to replace and upgrade our equipment now.”
Not only that, we need to increase our capacity to meet the growing need. The number of cancer patients we treat every year has also gone up since ECC. That means adding a third linear accelerator (LINAC) to Radiation Therapy, and replacing the other two in the next few years. These units are the heart of radiation therapy, delivering targeted doses to cancer tumours while sparing healthy tissue. The Cancer Centre is rearranging its space to accommodate the new LINAC and new PET/CT scanner.
Our Cancer Centre has a plan. But it relies on one other key component: community support. Donors are vital to bringing this plan to life, and without them, those plans are just a dream. Twelve years ago, the community and region came together during ECC to ensure we had the best equipment available. Now, Dr. Del Paggio said, we need to come together again to carry on that legacy.
“Our donors built an incredible cancer program right here in our backyard,” he said. “Exceptional Cancer Care closer to home saves lives, reduces fear and anxiety, and provides world-class treatment to the beautiful people of Northwestern Ontario. I'm hoping we can count on community support again to maintain that high level of care we worked so hard to get.”
You can help ensure the legacy of the Exceptional Cancer Care Campaign lives on! Your donation today to the Northern Cancer Fund will bring new and upgraded equipment to our Cancer Centre. That means more people getting treated right here in Northwestern Ontario, and fewer patients travelling to southern Ontario or elsewhere for the care they need.
Please give online at healthsciencesfoundation.ca/cancer or call our Donation Centre at 807.345.HOPE (4673) to make your donation by phone.