Kelowna, B.C. – In April of 1998, over 4,000 people formed a line-up stretching past the front doors and far beyond the parking lot to a single building. The line-up was not for a rock concert, nor was it for the Kelowna Rockets’ quarter finals; it was to celebrate the grand opening of the BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for the Southern Interior.

“When we opened our doors back in 1998, we were shocked to see the overwhelming support coming from the community of Kelowna. There were so many people that we began to panic about what to do because the turn out was just unbelievable,” says Sandra Broughton, Regional Administrator for the BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for the Southern Interior. “Now, 10 years later, we hope that the community will come out again to show their support and share their story.”

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for the Southern Interior, patients and their families are encouraged to share their stories and photos about how the Centre has made a difference in their lives over the past decade. These stories and photos will be displayed at the open house, located at the BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for the Southern Interior, 399 Royal Avenue, Kelowna, B.C., on Saturday, April 5 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The Centre for the Southern Interior not only provides cancer care and support to patients from Kelowna, but also those living across the Southern Interior. “The community has dreamed of having a responsive cancer program for a long time and the achievements over the past 10 years have surpassed my expectations,” says Sindi Hawkins, MLA Kelowna-Mission. “Staff members and the community have done so much to support the programs provided, and when something has been around for that long, people sometimes take it for granted.”

Before the Centre opened, patients would travel to Vancouver to get their radiation therapy. “Often, patients would be away from home for more than five weeks without friends or family members, and that really affects the overall quality of care that we try to provide,” says Broughton. “With the Centre for the Southern Interior, we were able to bring care closer to home for our patients.”

The BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for the Southern Interior treats approximately 2,000 patients a year, and gives about 275 patient treatments per day. “All of our staff members want to come together as a team to help and be committed in making a difference in the cancer journey of patients,” says Broughton.

If you would like to make a story or photo submission about your experience at the BC Cancer Agency, please leave your name and number in a drop-box located in the main lobby of the Centre for the Southern Interior by March 15. For more information, please contact Sandra Broughton at 250.712.3903 or Cynthia Waldek-Peters at 250.712.3910.

“Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way and it’s not just the bricks and mortars of the Centre that make the community appreciative,” says Hawkins. “It’s also the hearts and souls within the building. The open house is a way for everyone to say, ‘Thank You’, and to be reminded of how the BC Cancer Agency is an important part of health services.”

The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care. The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements to patient care at the BC Cancer Agency.

For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Carrie Ho
Communications & Public Relations
BC Cancer Agency
Tel: 604.877.6000 ext. 4813
cho4@bccancer.bc.ca