by PAUL RAYNER

Long in the tentative planning phases, a response to the concerns regarding treatment of one of Southwest Manitoba’s most prevalent health problems is to be a reality this coming year.

The Manitoba Government has announced a new CancerCare facility for Deloraine. Planned to be run as a partnership between CancerCare Manitoba, an organization that coordinates cancer care programs in the province and the Assiniboine Regional Health Authority, the facility is to deal with a range of cancer related issues including treatment.

“When you look at the statistics for cancer rates and the access to cancer services in Southwestern Manitoba,” explained Garlen Maxwell, the executive director of facility services for the ARHA, “you have to figure out how best to serve the people.”

Maxwell said the concept has been in the health plan for the ARHA and its more local predecessor the Southwest Regional Health Authority for many years. They have been working with CancerCare, and financially, the time was right to develop the concept at this moment.

“There was now funding available, which is a blessing. As much as we as a region saw a need CancerCare saw a need as well.”

The idea is to develop a special four-station community cancer program in the Deloraine Health Centre. It will deal with all of the various areas of the disease, including prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment. The two partners will be responsible for different aspects of the operation. The health authority will be responsible for operations, while CancerCare will be involved with the training of health care professionals who participate.

As Maxwell explained, local physicians, nurses and pharmacists who are interested will be sent to Winnipeg for special training in oncology so they will be prepared to work in and with the facility. This means professionals who are in the overall area, not just Deloraine itself.

“It certainly is an opportunity for nurses, physicians and pharmacists to learn new things,” she explained. “It is open to those from other communities around. There has to be a commitment and willingness to travel.”

She could not answer whether or not they will be able to staff the new centre from existing people, as the ARHA has ongoing staffing concerns in many of the local facilities. However, she feels the new development may actually help with overall recruitment, as it offers specific work opportunities.

The RHA is already involved in three such programs, located in Hamiota, Russell and Neepawa. Maxwell said they are working well, and fit with the idea of making cancer treatment options as close as possible to residents, to give a more local option than the Manitoba capital.

“Our goal is for people not to have to drive more than an hour for treatment. It can be very onerous for people to have to go to Winnipeg for treatment.”

Geography was one reason Deloraine was chosen for the newest centre. As well, the RHA had looked at space requirements and toured the existing facility back in the Southwest Regional days, and felt it was a good fit. However, Maxwell stressed it was to be seen as a regional benefit.

“This isn’t a Deloraine project. This is for Southwestern Manitoba.”

Patients will still go to Winnipeg to see an oncologist, who will establish what treatment is required. However, they will be able to take that treatment, including chemotherapy, at the Deloraine centre, which is one of 14 currently supported by CancerCare in the province.

They are looking to build a 1696 square foot structure to hold the facility, to be located on the northeast corner of the Deloraine Health Centre. If all goes well, construction will start in the spring of 2007, with the centre being ready by the fall.

As the request for proposals for construction are just getting out, Maxwell said they have no idea of projected costs. However, Manitoba Health will be paying for the building.

The cancer program is a strong step toward having more community-based treatment options in rural areas. The possibility of this being developed in other health care areas in other communities has been discussed in a basic way in the past. Maxwell said, however, there are no plans in the ARHA to move forward into other areas at this time.

“Right now we struggle to maintain what we have,” she stated.

However, being able to offer treatment in the local area for a disease that affects so many residents is a positive move, she said.

“The importance is to be able to offer the appropriate services our residents require, like chemotherapy and offer it closer to home and to their loved ones,” Maxwell said. “It is sometimes very difficult financially to have to go into Winnipeg and stay. It is a time in a person’s life that is difficult enough. We want people to receive the services they need as close to home as possible.”