$5 million fundraising initiative announced to bring PET/CT technology to Kelowna

KELOWNA, B.C. – The BC Cancer Foundation is pleased to announce a $5 million fundraising initiative to bring a PET/CT scanner to the BC Cancer Agency’s Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre for the Southern Interior. With more than 5,000 new cancer diagnoses expected this year in the region, the time to bring this essential diagnostic tool to Kelowna is now.

Each year, more than 900 patients must travel from the Southern Interior to the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Centre for a PET/CT scan, where the province’s two publicly funded scanners are located.

“With a growing and aging provincial population, cancer incidence is expected to increase and we are committed to bolstering cancer care in the Southern Interior,” says Sarah Roth, President & CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation. “Today we bring good news to cancer patients in the community with a goal to raise $5 million for PET/CT technology.”

Oncologists utilize the results of a patient’s PET/CT scan to accurately plan treatment, monitor treatment effectiveness and detect cancer recurrence. The PET/CT scan plays an integral role in a patient’s care, as the most precise and detailed cancer diagnostic tool.

“Our mission is to deliver the best cancer care close to home for the people of B.C. Bringing a PET/CT to Kelowna will dramatically improve care for patients in the Southern Interior and add value to our flourishing clinical research programs,” says Dr. Malcolm Moore, President, BC Cancer Agency.

For Jeremy King, Kelowna resident and Squamous cell carcinoma survivor, his two PET/CT scans in Vancouver were critical in his diagnosis, treatment plan and remission.

“Driving to Vancouver, especially in the wintertime is far and dangerous, coupled with arranging childcare and a hotel to stay in – it’s a lot,” says Jeremy. “For many patients, having to travel home with a lot of uncertainty is not ideal. A PET/CT scanner in Kelowna will take away this burden for folks.”

Generous support from this week’s GolfBC Championship, a Mackenzie Tour event in Kelowna, will help toward the goal of bringing a PET/CT scanner to the region.

To learn more about the PET/CT campaign, how this technology impacts care and how to support, visit: www.bccancerfoundation.com/PET

PET/CT FACTS:

• A PET/CT scan combines two technologies, positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT)
• The PET scan detects cellular activity, which indicates the presence of cancer
• CT detects the size and location of a tumour
• The combined scan helps physicians more accurately diagnose and manage cancer
• The scan may be used for; preoperative staging, localizing suspected cancer recurrence to help improve treatment planning for patients
• There were more than 9,500 PET/CT scans completed at the Vancouver Centre during fiscal year 2016/2017.