Cancer Clinic In Vanderhoof

By 250 News

l-r Northern Health Board Chair, Dr. Charles Jago, Oncology Dr. Shannon Douglas, Saik'uz First Nation Chief Colleen Erickson, Vanderhoof Mayor Len Fox, Hank van Andel,Prince George Omioneca MLA John Rustad and NH health services administrator April Hughes.
       
Vanderhoof, B.C. - Community leaders, families and patients gathered today to celebrate the official opening a  new cancer clinic to serve Lakes and Omineca communities.

The Ruby Ellen van Andel Cancer Clinic has officially opened at Vanderhoof’s St. John Hospital. The clinic will provide a range of cancer care services to area residents. The new cancer unit is named after the late Ruby Ellen van Andel, a long-time Vanderhoof resident whose family contributed $200,000 to renovate and equip the clinic.

“Our family sees the new cancer clinic as an excellent way of honouring Ruby’s life, and we’re very pleased that her husband Henry chose to make this contribution,” said Hank van Andel who spoke at the official opening on behalf of the family.

The Ruby Ellen van Andel Cancer Clinic will provide a range of cancer care services supported by local health providers working with BC Cancer Agency medical oncologists in larger communities. In many cases, the new clinic will reduce the burden of travel for local patients who can receive on-going portions of their treatment closer to home.

“The development of this service is an excellent health care partnership,” said Dr. Charles Jago, chair of the Northern Health Board and co-chair of the 2006 Premier’s Consultation for Improved Cancer Care in Northern BC. “Our thanks go out to the van Andel family who provided their generous contribution, the local health professionals who worked together to establish the unit, and the BC Cancer Agency for their partnership with Northern Health to improve cancer prevention, early detection and treatment across the North.”

Care providers locally have worked towards the clinic for several years, with many staff having taken enhanced training to care for cancer patients. Last year, the BC Cancer Agency  and Northern Health jointly approved a business case for the development of the new service. Operating costs for the clinic are $250,000 a year. The van Andel family’s $200,000 donation has paid for renovations to accommodate the clinic, along with specialized pharmacy equipment.

”Communities all across the Lakes and Omineca Districts will benefit from this new service,” said Vanderhoof Mayor Len Fox. “I’d like to thank the van Andel family as well as all of the local health professionals and partner agencies whose hard work helped make this a reality.”

Community cancer services such as the new Ruby Ellen van Andel Cancer Clinic in Vanderhoof will also benefit from the new BC Cancer Agency Center for the North to be based at Prince George Regional Hospital. The BC Government, BC Cancer Agency and Northern Health are working together to develop the new centre which will provide a full range of cancer care services for northern BC patients. The new centre is scheduled to open in 2012.

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