It took just one year and more than 2,100 donors to raise the $5 million needed to bring a world-class PET/CT scanner to the B.C. Interior.
The BC Cancer Foundation announced Wednesday that the critical tool in cancer diagnosis will be built in the next 18 months between the Kelowna General Hospital and the BC Cancer Kelowna building on Royal Avenue.
乌鸦传媒淚t is going to be a beautiful facility with the scanner and a waiting room and exam rooms. This is a state-of-the-art diagnostic tool that tells the physicians where your cancer is,乌鸦传媒� explains Sarah Roth, president and CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation.
She says this technology will affect the more than 1,000 B.C. Interior patients who are currently forced to go the Lower Mainland 乌鸦传媒� where the province乌鸦传媒檚 only two publicly-funded PET/CT scanners are located 乌鸦传媒� for a scan.
乌鸦传媒淚magine you乌鸦传媒檙e sick and you have to make that trip, stay overnight sometimes, sometimes you have to go back for a second scan, you乌鸦传媒檝e left your children at home. It is very disruptive for families,乌鸦传媒� adds Roth.
乌鸦传媒淣ow that will be closer to home in your own regional cancer centre.乌鸦传媒�
PET/CT is proven in many circumstances as the most effective tool for obtaining a complete picture of a patient乌鸦传媒檚 cancer, with an ability to detect cancer cells at an early stage 乌鸦传媒� even before a tumour has formed.
Kelowna regional medical director for BC Cancer, Dr. Ross Halperin, says this scanner could be life or death for some his patients who are unable to make it the Lower Mainland for a scan.
乌鸦传媒淧ET/CT technology enables us to make the more accurate diagnosis and provide the best treatment,乌鸦传媒� he says.
乌鸦传媒淎 PET/CT scanner in the Interior means patients will benefit having access to crucial care much closer to home.乌鸦传媒�
He adds that this technology can save patients from unnecessary radiation treatment, chemotherapy, surgery and biopsies.
Kelowna couple Shane and Lisa Worman share a life together, share children and they also once had to share an oncologist. Shortly after Shane won his fight against cancer, his wife was diagnosed. She also battled it and won.
They are now both cancer survivors who call Kelowna home and felt they had to donate to this cause.
乌鸦传媒淪upporting cancer research and care is paramount to us,乌鸦传媒� says Shane. 乌鸦传媒淲ithout it, Lisa and I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be here today and we are proud to be to be able to help patients in our community have access to the best in cancer care right here in Kelowna.乌鸦传媒�
With one in two British Columbians being diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, the purchase of the PET/CT scanners will ensure patients have access to the 乌鸦传媒済old standard in cancer imagining乌鸦传媒� and world-class cancer care.
乌鸦传媒淭hanks to thousands of generous donors, we are proud to say this vital technology will be closer to home for cancer patients across the Interior,乌鸦传媒� says Roth.
乌鸦传媒淲e are so incredibly grateful to our supporters for helping to lessen the burden for families facing a cancer diagnosis.乌鸦传媒�
Constructions is set to being in the spring of 2019.
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