Health Minister Adrian Dix making Kamloops Cancer Care Centre announcement on May 25, 2023 (Credit: Abby Zieverink)

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on at the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation as it awaits the finalized business plan for the Kamloops Cancer Care Centre.

RIH Foundation CEO Heidi Coleman says the gear-up comes in anticipation the Radiation Therapy Facility will be opening its doors to the first patient in 2027.

“Interior Health and RIH have done the business plan, people in the cancer department have put in what their needs are and every other department,” she said. “That business plan has been done and we are waiting for it to get submitted or received so we know what we have to fundraise for.”

Coleman says they won’t launch a fundraising campaign until that plan is released, noting they are speaking with Interior Health to try and identify what the “funding gap” is.

“If the government is saying they are going to pay for the whole thing and there is no need to fundraise, well that would be a dream – but I think it won’t be like that just due to our economic times.”

Coleman says they also want to know who will be paying for the equipment in the facility, particularly the radiation therapy machines.

“Is BC Cancer paying for those? Is the ministry paying for those? Or are they asking the public to help?”

She says there are several local donors in Kamloops on standby, wanting to donate directly to the Cancer Care Centre.

Back in May, Health Minister Adrian Dix announced in Kamloops the business plan for the Radiation Therapy Centre is slated to be completed by the fall.

When asked about a more specific timeline at a news conference at the end of September, Dix says it is still on track to be completed this fall.

“We are on schedule for that work, and it will be…. Looking forward to seeing everybody in Kamloops in the fall to discuss… the business plan and to lay that out for people.”

However, what month that could be is still unclear.

Meanwhile, Dix went on to say he had a good meeting with representatives of the City of Kamloops, the TNRD, and the Thompson Regional Hospital District at UBCM last month, noting he feels there is a lot of enthusiasm for the facility.

“This is something I feel personally that this is something since I have been health critic for the NDP, and then leader of the NDP and then now the Minister of Health, it has been a priority for me and it is gonna be… I’m delighted that we are delivering on it.”

Dix also noted the Kamloops Cancer Care Centre is a priority for him to ensure people in the region have better access to Cancer treatments.