Dr. Ross Halperin

Working at the BC Cancer Agency is a privilege. It is gratifying to deliver the best care possible to patients, yet challenges remain. We don't have good options for all patients yet and the search for better care tools continues to energize my peers and I. VERO and SABR are an example of this quest. The implementation of this new treatment technology will be done in parallel with our renewed commitment to learn from the lessons that all patient care can teach us. To explore cancers that have yet to be successfully treated with radiotherapy, we are setting up a database to ensure that we...

The BC Cancer Foundation is a valuable partner to the BC Cancer Agency. By supporting the work of scientists and clinicians, BC Cancer Foundation donors are helping to reduce the impact of cancer on the community and elevate the excellence of BC Cancer Agency centres across the province. I arrived in B.C. in 2003. At that time, prostate cancer was primarily treated via surgery or external radiation therapy but data was emerging showing that brachytherapy—the insertion of radioactive sources directly to a patient’s tumour—could achieve favourable results. As one of a few radiation oncologists...

As I mentioned in my last post, I do less research now than earlier in my career. However when I do have time for research questions, they often relate to health operations research: how can we improve what we do to improve the patients’ experience, improve the patient outcome or to improve efficiency so that we can reduce wait times. I continue to pursue research particularly in lung cancer and prostate cancer. A promising development in cancer treatment is the emergence of image-guidance technology and the growth of stereotactic ablative body radiosurgery (SABR). This technique has shown...

Hello, my name is Ross Halperin. I am the proud father of three wonderful children (Talia 6, Ava 9 and Zane 11) and the fortunate husband of Dr. M. Dani Sarbit. Currently I serve as the Interim Provincial Professional Practice Leader for Radiation Therapy, Functional Imaging, Oral Oncology and Surgery at the BC Cancer Agency. I have worked most of my career as a radiation oncologist - first in Edmonton Alberta and for the past decade, primarily in Kelowna B.C., at the BC Cancer Agency Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre for the Southern Interior. Caring for cancer patients is a privilege. It is...

I am now in a leadership role where my time is half administration and half clinical practice. The latter allows me to still test medical hypotheses through clinical research and to still see patients most days of the week, which I love. I got into oncology because of the connection with patients and would hate to lose that. What I like about being in a leadership role is that I can contribute to improving the care for today and for tomorrow. In my role, I help enable the oncologists’ abilities to deliver care and foster an environment that helps oncologists find improvements through...

Dr. Ross Halperin talks Radiation Oncology and Brachytherapy.

Not only did I find my career focus in Edmonton, but while training I met my wife. Her family is from the Okanagan and we’re both outdoor enthusiasts, so we always had Kelowna in mind as somewhere we wanted to live. By 2003, an opportunity surfaced and I joined the BC Cancer Agency’s team in Kelowna at the Centre for the Southern Interior. I’ve been here ever since. I now have three children, and my family loves Kelowna life. One of the things that drew me to working at the Agency’s Centre for the Southern Interior was the collegiality of the team here — they are happy and have a great vision...

Hello everyone, my name is Ross Halperin, and I’m happy to be blogging as a Partner in Discovery. I’ve been a radiation oncologist with the BC Cancer Agency for the past eight years. But before I get into what I do at the Agency, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself. I grew up in Ontario and come from a family of medical professionals. With a house always full of doctors, I was exposed to the ins and outs of many different medical specialties. I first learned about oncology from a close family friend, and it really intrigued me; that friend became my mentor. After moving to Edmonton to...