Patients on Haida Gwaii will benefit from an enhanced range of community cancer services at Queen Charlotte Islands General Hospital with the arrival of new equipment and the establishment of a part-time chemo nurse position.

“These enhancements to oncology services on Haida Gwaii means that local patients will be now able to receive treatment on a more consistent basis in their home community and this is wonderful news for the residents of this region,” said Minister of Health Services Kevin Falcon. “Today’s announcement is part of our government’s commitment to ensuring British Columbia remains a leader in cancer care with some of the most favourable outcomes in North America.”

As part of the service enhancements, the Queen Charlotte Islands General Hospital now has its own separate building housing a new vented mixing hood to allow chemo-drug preparation onsite. A new part time certified chemo-nurse, Robin Pozer, will provide regular weekly service to patients on-island. A pharmacist, Daryl Regier, and two physicians with General Practitioner of Oncology (GPO) qualifications – Drs. Morton and Chrones - are also a key part of the clinic.

“The hospital has been offering very limited chemotherapy service for the past several years,” said Dr.Tracy Morton, family physician and GPO for Queen Charlotte Islands General Hospital. “The new mixing hood will provide far more reliable service than having the fragile drugs mixed in Prince Rupert and shipped to Queen Charlotte by float plane, which was sometimes delayed by weather.”

The enhancements to the cancer clinic also include $55,000 in funding from Northern Health for upgrades to the hospital. These included treatment room furnishings, a $10,000 triple line IV pump and the vented mixing hood. The BC Cancer Agency (an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority) and Northern Health will share the cost to support the chemo nurse.

In addition, the Queen Charlotte Hospital Day Foundation provided $8,000 in funding to purchase a 32" flat screen TV and wall mount, a leather lounge chair and Stryker Go II bed for patient comfort during treatment.

The service enhancements are part of the Northern Cancer Control Strategy, which aims to help improve cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and palliative care for Northern BC residents. The Northern Cancer Control Strategy is a joint initiative of Northern Health, the BC Cancer Agency, and the Provincial Health Services Authority.

"These enhancements to cancer service on QCI are very exciting as they are the result of three years of hard work by local health care providers,” said Kerry Laidlaw, Queen Charlotte Hospital site administrator. “This regular service will allow many patients who needed to travel at great expense to receive care closer to home."