Big North NOVEMBER 2012
Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians speaks out against pipelines A3
FREE PRESS
Clark opens cancer centre
DeLynda Pilon
newsroom@pgfreepress.com
Most people’s lives have been touched by cancer in some way, and Premier Christy Clark is no exception. Her mother won the battle against skin cancer and breast cancer, ultimately losing her life to brain cancer. Clark said she understood how important it is to be near your support group and for your loved ones to be able to be close to you when you are struggling with the disease. Every morning during her mother’s battle with brain cancer she would drive to the Royal Columbian Hospital, help her mother shower and eat, then put her to bed. After work she would pick up her son and they would go see her mother. Clark would feed her dinner and help her brush her teeth. Her mother may not have survived her final battle with cancer, but Clark said she did get to spend those final days with her in the best possible way. “It was her final gift,” she said. “Now families in Prince George will also have that gift.” With tears in her eyes, Clark shared her story during the grand opening of the B.C. Cancer Agency Centre for the North on Oct. 29. In a room filled with proponents who worked hard to make the centre a reality, local and provincial dignitaries as well as many of the 82 proDe Ly nd a PILON/ Fre e Pre s s fessionals who will staff the centre, she talked about the importance of a community coming Premier Christy Clark toured the radiation unit at the B.C. Cancer Agency Centre for the North during its grand together with a vision, then bringing it to life. opening Monday. Patients will begin treatment at the centre Nov. 1. “This is something you have needed in this community for a long time,” she said. He added the centre is a key part of the northern can- such a clinic could become a reality was 2015. She added the province has the best cancer survival cer control strategy. Bond said they knew that just wasn’t fast enough. rate anywhere in North America, thanks in great part “Northern B.C. has been asking for equity in health In addition to being on time and below budget, the to the B.C. Cancer Agency and the specialists who work centre, he said, will enhance service across the cancer care for a long time,” Bond said. there. Over the time it has taken to make the centre a reality, care continuum through the north. Prince George now has the most recently built clinic, Dr. Michelle Sutter broached the subject of a local she said she was asked about it many times. one of six throughout the province, filled with state-of- cancer centre when she noticed there was an abnormal “It’s not a matter of if,” she said she told people. “It’s a the-art equipment. matter of when. And when is today.” number of mastectomies being performed in the North. “But the real difference is the people who work in the “Everyone south of Williams Lake told us it couldn’t “Women were unwilling to leave their support sysbuilding,” she said. “It is these people and their passion tems,” she said. be done,” Bell said. for wanting to save lives ... that is what makes the differ“When people tell northern British Columbians it can’t The initial meeting with local MLAs Pat Bell and ence.” Shirley Bond led to several more, until Dr. Charles Jago, be done, they just roll up their sleeves. Today proves we Prince George Health Authority board chair Wynne someone who has garnered a great deal of respect among can get it done in northern B.C.,” Bond said. Powell said that for the first time in the north, the newly a range of people, was put in charge of a steering comConstruction for the centre began in July of 2010, with constructed centre will allow patients to undergo radia- mittee, advocating for the project. a capital cost of $91.5 million. The first patients were tion therapy. A first report by the committee projected the earliest expected to walk through the doors on Nov. 1.
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