Health Minister Adrian Dix announcing steps forward for the new Cancer Care Center in Kamloops/via Abby Zieverink
The head of the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation is hoping to walk-back suggestions that the people of Kamloops are going to be asked to raise millions of dollars for the new Cancer Care Center.
Foundation CEO Heidi Coleman says there has not been any dollar amount being asked for from either the province or Interior Health at this point.
“I don’t want there to be a number out there that might upset people, or inspire people,” said Coleman. “I do know there are donors who have come to me and said ‘I am holding my money. I want there to be radiation here.’”
At the same time, Coleman argues it would be unfair to ask locals to foot part of the bill to create the facility.
“It’s been very hard on Kamloopsians and people who live in the surrounding area,” argued Coleman. “They have all had to drive to Kelowna and incur financial hardship when they have to drive, whether its the hotel they had to pay for, or the gas.”
The head of the BC Cancer Foundation suggested last week that people in Kamloops are going to be asked to raise 5-million dollars to help support the creation of the Cancer Care Center at RIH.
In announcing in May that the project should be operational by 2027, Health Minister Adrian Dix did insist that provincial dollars would be building the Cancer Care Center, but did hint that local dollars may be asked to subsidize the creation of the over 400-stall parkade to be built alongside it.