Royal Inland Hospital (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

KAMLOOPS CANCER CENTRE

‘A world-class cancer centre’; Philanthropy expected to help Kamloops’ cancer centre shine

Feb 14, 2024 | 5:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — Last week, the B.C. Minister of Health announced the business case for the $359-million Kamloops cancer centre, to be built on the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) campus and scheduled to open to patients in 2028. While the project is still years away from completion, fundraising has begun in earnest, with both the BC Cancer and RIH Foundations preparing for potential asks from the ministry and Interior Health.

Philanthropy will likely become a crucial step in the creation of the new Kamloops cancer centre. While the province announced the build last week, past history, like the Galgardi Tower which included $20 million in fundraising, means the RIH Foundation is gearing up to help.

“I would imagine there will be a sit-down at some point and the ministry will say, ‘Listen, it’s $359 million. Can you help with this?’ But we haven’t heard that officially yet,” said RIH Foundation CEO Heidi Coleman. “There was some talk of philanthropy at the announcement. I do want to see all the details.”

Along with the local work, the BC Cancer Foundation fundraises to support cancer research and care across the province.

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“You can allocate your donations directly to the BC Cancer Centre in Kamloops. Every British Columbian can do that for their home cancer centre through our website,” BC Cancer Foundation CEO Sarah Roth told CFJC Today. “We are actively working with BC Cancer and the government to ensure we support whatever this takes to make this a world-class cancer centre.”

In terms of cancer research, the foundation is currently fundraising $2 million for a province wide trial that could help revolutionize cancer care.

“(The trial is) looking at can they deliver SABR technology, which is a high dose, very precise dose of radiation, one dose for certain cancers as opposed to the multiple doses that are the current protocol. And they are studying the effectiveness of this with the new trial,” outlined Roth.

Along with big ticket equipment like MRI machines and linear accelerators, Coleman mentioned the need in Kamloops for more supportive service for cancer patients.

“BC Cancer has talked about more supportive care — we need more. People need more psychological help, psycho-social, social workers, drug navigators. There is still a lot of need in the current cancer centre that we have which is on the eighth floor,” said Coleman. “And we do a lot of chemotherapy there, because as you heard, one of two people have cancer (in their lifetimes).”

Construction on the Kamloops cancer centre is slated to begin in 2025.