Calgary's new cancer centre to start treating first patients by end of October

Calgary's long-awaited new cancer centre is set to welcome its first patients by the end of October.

According to the provincial government, some people with cancer care booked on or after Oct. 25 will have their appointments moved to the new $1.4-billion facility. 

The Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre  is expected to house 160 inpatient beds and 9,200 square metres of research space.

"There aren't many things that cancer patients look forward to in their treatments, but this is one of them," said Natalie Kwadrans, a Stage 4 breast cancer patient who goes in for treatment every three weeks.

She's spent time at both the Tom Baker Cancer Centre and the High River community cancer centre and describes them both as quite dark.

When Kwadrans toured the new facility, she was struck by a number of design features in the new building, including the courtyard and deliberate effort to incorporate natural light and artwork.

"Having something that is cheerful makes it feel less daunting, less scary, less dark — truly — because you can go into dark places in your own head," she said.

"We still know we're going there for cancer treatments, but the fact you go in there and don't feel like you're going into a typical cancer ward is great."

Neither Alberta Health Services nor the Health Ministry would say how many patients will move over during the initial transition phase.

The new facility will provide both inpatient and outpatient care.

The research area alone is larger than the footprint of the current Tom Baker Cancer Centre, according to the Alberta Health Services website.

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"We have, in the breast cancer world,  been really anticipating this move," said Dr. May Lynn Quan, a breast surgical oncologist.

"Historically, we've been a very fragmented program."

Centralizing care

According to Quan, patients currently have to travel to around the city for different parts of their care.

"Having us all in one location, under one roof, is really going to be amazing for patients. So I'm really excited about that and the amount of collaboration we can do just by being close to each other."

Quan expects her breast surgery clinic will open as part of the breast health clinic on the third floor of the new building by the end of October.

"So for the first time ever, all of the oncologists dealing with breast cancer will be in the same space. So next door to me will be a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist seeing patients concurrently. So if we happen to have a patient in common, we're able to talk. 

"I'm really looking forward to making patient care streamlined and patient-focused."

According to Quan, surgeries will continue to be done at different hospitals.

Meanwhile, it is unclear how the opening of the new centre will impact concerns about long waits for cancer treatment in the province.

"Will it be able to keep up with the increase in demand? I think we're at the seams right now so we'll have to look towards ensuring we have timely access to care and that means providing an environment for oncologists who want to stay and work here," said Quan.

"And that's part of the challenge that the government and AHS have moving forward."

In a press release, the Alberta government called the the new facility  "one of the most advanced cancer centres in the world," with multi-disciplinary teams integrating research and patient care.

"This represents a key milestone as we prepare for the clinical opening of the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre," Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said in the statement.

"We look forward to welcoming patients to this world-class facility where they will receive personalized treatments with exceptional care." 

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CBC News asked the press secretary for the minister of health and Alberta Health Services for more information on the transition, including which patients would be moved over first, how many would move, and when the new cancer centre would be fully operational. No further details were provided.

"The Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre is on track to open for service late October. Staff are diligently working on a comprehensive plan to transition both patients and services to the new building," a spokesperson said in an email.

"We look forward to sharing more details about the official opening closer to the middle of October."

The press release stated patients who are impacted by the opening will be notified through the patient portal, my AHS Connect, and by mail.