Calgary Cancer Centre rally protests possible deferral

A rally was held todayat theMcDougall Centre to protest the possible deferral of the Calgary Cancer Centre.

The $1.3-billion facility was promised by then-Premier Alison Redford in March 2013 and planned to be built on theFoothills Medical Centre campus.

• New cancer centre slated for Calgary
• Tom Baker Cancer Centre replacement could see delays, says province

But Premier Jim Prentice has said the project is now under review because ofthe government's multi-billion dollar revenue shortfall.

The Calgary Eyeopenerspoke with Myka Osinchuk, CEO of the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Wednesday morning.

• Click the Listen button to hear the interview on the Calgary Eyeopener

Osinchuk said she doesn't know where the new cancer centre is on the government's current list of infrastructure priorities.

But she says the need for a new centre was identified in 2002, given that the30-year-old Tom Baker Cancer Centre has beenrunning at capacity for more than a decade.

Osinchuk says currently cancer patients must go to at least five separate facilities to access care and services.

The new cancer centre is planned to centralize services in one location including diagnostic, outpatientand treatment services, dedicated research spaceand a bone marrow transplant unit.