Staff
Grey Bruce Health Services announced today that renovations to the cancer care unit on the 5th floor of the Owen Sound Regional Hospital will begin the week of June 22nd. The project is expected to take about six months to complete, and full services will continue throughout this period.
This project is being funded by donations to the Hospital Campaign, an $11.4 million fundraising initiative that was launched one year ago tomorrow by the five foundations that support GBHS. To date, the campaign has raised approximately $10 million in donations and pledges.
“This renovation is a key part of the Hospital Campaign,” noted Lance Thurston, GBHS, President and CEO. “I want to thank the thousands of individuals, businesses, service clubs and local governments who have contributed to making this renovation possible.”
The new cancer unit will be approximately 40 percent larger than the current space. Oncology services will be consolidated onto the 5th floor of the hospital, a significant improvement to the current services which are split between two floors. Expansion of the unit includes a larger chemotherapy treatment area that will provide more privacy and space for patients and families.
A chemotherapy pharmacy is also part of the improvement plan. The pharmacy will be located next to the treatment area, making the preparation and administration of chemotherapy drugs both timely and safe.
“We’ve all had friends or family members impacted by cancer, and I know it’s a difficult time in people’s lives. We are upgrading our facilities for improved diagnosis and treatment, and we hope to make the cancer journey a little easier by offering a space that is more comfortable and private for patients and families, and more efficient for doctors and staff,” noted Thurston.
The Owen Sound Regional Hospital is the primary cancer care facility in Grey Bruce. Every year the hospital’s three oncologists book over 14,000 appointments with cancer patients.
The next phase of the campaign is focused on raising the final $1 million needed to reach the campaign goal. A number of patients have recorded short videos of their cancer journey to help raise awareness during this final phase. The videos are available at: helpcrushcancer.ca and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/helpcrushcancer. Anyone touched by cancer is encouraged to post their own short cancer stories on this new Facebook page and to hashtag #helpcrushcancer in related tweets.
“We are asking everyone to join us to ‘Help Crush Cancer’ in Grey Bruce,” said Ron Goldsmith, Chair of the Cabinet Committee representing the five foundations involved in the Campaign. “Our communities have been very generous so far, and I’m confident we will reach our goal of $11.4 million and do even more for our patients.”
The Hospital Campaign funds are being used to support projects at all six GBHS hospitals, including a renovation to the Southampton ER and laboratory to begin this Fall. Campaign donations were used for the new interventional radiology suite installed this year in Owen Sound, and work is currently underway to replace the CT scanner. Those wishing to support the Campaign can visit helpcrushcancer.ca to make an online donation. Donations can also be made by calling your local GBHS Foundation, or 519-372-3925.
