Oncologist hires may 'finish the battle for radiation' in Corner Brook, says advocate

Cancer patients on the west coast of Newfoundland will soon be able to receive radiation therapy closer to home.

On Friday the Newfoundland and Labrador government announced two radiation oncologists have been recruited to work at the Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook.

Gerald Parsons, who has been fighting for better cancer care on the west coast for decades as co-chair of the Western Regional Hospital Action Committee, said he'll be pleased as soon as the first oncologist starts work.

"Hopefully this will finish the battle for radiation," he told CBC Radio's Newfoundland Morning.

Years ago he had no choice but to take his wife to St. John's for cancer treatment and said radiation services in Corner Brook would have made a world of difference. 

WATCH | Radiation in Corner Brook means west coast families can stay close to home:

N.L. finds its health staff for radiation unit in Corner Brook

6 days ago

Duration 1:17

The wait for radiation treatment in Corner Brook has been a long fight for people like Gerald Parsons. The opening of the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital came with the promise of on-site radiation, but not the professionals to staff it. Now, the province has announced, two new radiation oncologists have been recruited with treatment expected to begin in the fall.

"They say one of the biggest healing processes with cancer is having family around you," he said. "We spent five weeks in St. John's at a hotel."

For Parsons, radiation services on the west coast has been a long time coming.

"It's been a year since [the Western Memorial Regional Hospital] opened up and the service is still not there. All the equipment is here," said Parsons.

In Friday's statement, the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services said the two oncologists will start work in the summer and fall, and radiation oncology services will be rolled out in three phases.

The ongoing first phase provides CT simulations to eligible patients for radiation planning purposes. Phase two is hoped to begin in late August and include consultations and follow-up appointments in Corner Brook.

The third and final phase of the radiation service roll-out "includes radiation services beginning and continuing to scale up as recruitment and onboarding of specialized staff progresses," said the statement.

Parsons said the announcement is a step closer to his ultimate goal of better health-care services in western Newfoundland.

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