Lethbridge Cancer Centre opens

Expanded facility brings cancer care closer to home for southern Albertans

Sandra Fuentes faced a frightening cancer diagnosis and a treatment regimen that included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

But the toughest part of all, says the Lethbridge resident, was being away from her husband and three children in order to receive radiation therapy in Calgary. Treatments were needed five days a week, for six consecutive weeks, although each treatment lasted only 15 minutes.

“I’m a stay-at-home mom and it would have made life so much easier to be in my home, doing those daily things, as well as getting radiation,” says Fuentes, who joined her dragon boat teammates – all breast cancer survivors – as guests at the June 22 grand opening of the newly expanded Lethbridge Cancer Centre.

The $52.3-million expansion project means many southern Albertans won’t need to travel to Calgary, like Fuentes did in 2007, to receive cancer care. In addition to chemotherapy, the centre now provides radiation therapy, marking the first time this service has been available in the province outside of Calgary and Edmonton.

“This is a state-of-the-art facility where Alberta Health Services will provide top-quality care and improve access to treatment,” says Ken Hughes, AHS Board Chair.

“Not only will the centre serve the needs of local residents but it will help reduce pressures at other Alberta cancer facilities, improving access for all Albertans.”

The Lethbridge Cancer Centre will do more than minimize travel for cancer patients in southern Alberta. The facility has been designed and equipped to provide the highest-quality care in a patient-friendly setting.

A CT scanner is on site for planning radiation treatment.

Two linear accelerators are located in the province’s first doorless radiation vaults, which are less intimidating for patients and improve access for staff. The linear accelerators can provide radiation treatment to about 30 patients a day.

Lethbridge oncologist Dr. David Holland says the centre offers other benefits to patients and their families.

“We have bigger examining rooms that allow us to meet with families as a whole where they can listen in on the conversation about treatment options. We have treatment rooms that are now individualized and allow more privacy,” he says.

“We’ve are lucky enough to have an exemplary nursing staff and an exemplary support staff who are very caring. They have now moved into a facility where they can do their thing.”

Although patients with certain cancers will still need to be treated in Calgary or Edmonton, about 80 per cent of cancer treatment needs in the area can be done at the Lethbridge Cancer Centre.

Radiation treatments for different cancers will be phased in, starting with breast and prostate cancer and eventually including lung and colorectal cancers. The centre will also provide pain management for palliative care patients.

Radiation therapy facilities are also planned for Red Deer, in late 2012, followed by Grande Prairie. Once the five-city Alberta Radiation Therapy Corridor is complete, the number of people having to travel 100 kilometres or more to receive radiation treatment will be reduced from 28 per cent to eight per cent.

“One of Alberta Health Services’ primary goals is improved access to services for Albertans,” says Dr. Anthony Fields, AHS vice-president of Cancer Care. “The new radiation facilities are bringing radiation treatment closer to home for more and more Albertans.”

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