Minister Dix, Feb 8, 2024 (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

KAMLOOPS CANCER CENTRE

Local officials pledge to keep the pressure on after province’s $359M Kamloops cancer centre announcement

Feb 8, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops’ long awaited cancer centre is closer to a reality after B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix laid out the next steps in the project on Thursday (Feb. 8). The project is expected to begin construction in 2025 and be open three years later.

“The lower floors will contain the cancer centre program areas and include radiation treatment, including three shielded treatment rooms for high energy radiation treatment linear accelerators,” outlined Dix. “Radiation therapy planning [will include] a CT Simulator, a machine that pinpoints the exact location and shape of a tumor which helps radiation oncologists determine the most effective radiation treatment plan.”

The new centre will also include 10 patients rooms, a new MRI suite and three linear accelerator vaults to contain radiation equipment.

“In addition, upgrades to the hospital have also been approved,” continued Dix. “This includes updating and expanding the pharmacy, a critical use for everybody that works in the hospital. There will be new workstations, offices and improvements to storage areas and decanting spaces. The community oncology clinic will also be relocated from the old tower to the northwest wing, next to the pharmacy.”

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The Thompson Regional Hospital Board has long championed the project, including through a recent $75,000 advocacy campaign for the region. Board Chair Mike O’Reilly noted advocacy work began for the board back in April of 1998.

“Our board and our residents will not quit advocating and working with our partners at the provincial government, Interior Health and BC Cancer to ensure that this centre is on time and opens in 2028, because we know that cancer won’t wait,” said O’Reilly.

One in every two British Columbians will be diagnosed with a form of cancer in their lifetime.

“Our goal at BC Cancer has always been to put patients first,” said Eleanor Lee, who works with the agency’s redevelopment team. “We will design and build a cancer centre to prioritize patient-centered care to ensure the people of Kamloops and the surrounding regions will receive the high quality, accessible and culturally safe care in this centre as they would in any of our centres.”

BC Cancer, along with the province, is currently building out four new cancer centres. Dix said he expects Kamloops to be line with Nanaimo.

“I would expect Kamloops to be pretty much first amongst those, in terms of opening. Not first in announcement but first in opening because of the nature of the project and that’s what the business plan tells us. This is going to make a huge difference here.”

The new $359 million dollar cancer facility will also include 470 much needed parking stalls.