Waking up in the morning is hard enough for anyone with stage-four lung cancer – but what is even tougher now for Christine Marlowe is getting up at 4 a.m and catching a flight after chemotherapy treatment.
Such is the case for Lutsel K'e resident Marlowe, who travels back-and-forth to Edmonton for bi-monthly chemo appointments. A process which she says is horrible.
“We are getting better treatment in Edmonton, but the travel is a pain,” said Marlowe. “In Edmonton they care about you and your illness and they talk to you about it ... in Yellowknife they don't talk to you at all.”
Some 30 patients were notified between Dec. 8 to 12 of the service shutdown.
The Northwest Territories Health and Social Service Authority (NTHSSA) in partnership with Cancer Control Alberta decided to close down the program after it was deemed not up to standards.
Officials said no patients had been harmed during treatment at Stanton.
Deborah Klengenberg isn't happy with the way the Stanton chemo suspension was handled.
“The chemo closure at the hospital were very inconvenient and short notice,” said Klengenberg, a cancer patient who also must juggle childcare with travelling to Alberta for treatment.
“Medical travel should allow for a day of rest after treatment and we also want an explanation for why the program shut-down.”
Klengenberg adds there have been many mixed stories circulating – such as when the chemo program will relaunch at Stanton.
In December, the NTHSSA released a statement marking February as a potential relaunch date for chemotherapy services.
Stanton Territorial Hospital announced it is suspending its chemotherapy service – which is delivered in a similar manner as shown in this photo – until February or March but officials say it wasn't due to any harm coming to patients. Such an abrupt closure of a service for all of NWT that will result in huge costs for GNWT and inconvenience over Christmas for cancer patients and their families or caregivers raises many questions.
Yellowknifer couldn't get any firm timeline for chemo to resume at Stanton.
“Registered nurses began coursework in December, they have completed the first of three required courses and working on the second course," said NHTSSA spokesperson David Maguire.
"Once all courses are completed in January, an on-site training event will take place at Stanton with a clinical educator from CancerControl Alberta."
"Administrative staff involved with management of the chemotherapy program will undergo management training through CancerControl Alberta.”
Maguire added the policies and procedures will be reviewed by CancerControl Alberta to ensure it has a redeveloped program with best practices in mind.