A new children’s cancer clinic will soon be opening its doors at the Regina General Hospital.
The new clinic is being built through partnership between the Saskatchewan government, the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Hospitals of Regina Foundation.
Dino Sophocleous, the president and CEO of the Hospitals of Regina Foundation, said the opening of the clinic will allow those seeking treatment to avoid long travel in order to get the care they need.
“We haven’t had one in Regina for many years,” he said recently. “I think it’s important we deliver that care to as close to home as possible. It’s important we have one in Regina and southern Saskatchewan.”
Sophocleous said work on the new clinic has been underway for the past 15 months. The project’s wheels got rolling after the SHA approached the Hospitals of Regina Foundation about a need for this type of facility.
“When the project was brought to us by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, we very quickly decided to support it,” Sophocleous explained.
“We think it’s important that we deliver local health care right here as close to home as possible, especially when it comes to children. You don’t want to make children drive or travel, especially if you can avoid it.”
Sophocleous said the clinic will serve up to 150 kids per year.
“Apparently we get about 15 to 20 new cases every year in southern Saskatchewan and then we have 100 to 130 kids who receive ongoing care. On average, we’ll see about 150 kids a year in that clinic,” he added.
“It’s important to this foundation. We take the local health care very seriously here and hence (that’s) why we agreed to invest $1.5 million.”