BC Cancer Agency

Our first appointment last week was clouded with anxiety and the slight confusion of navigating the location of the various departments that we needed to visit during our day appointment... One of the teams have relocated to a new office a few blocks down from this address and we were unawarenOne encounter on this day was brightened by the kindness of one of the staff members that we briefly met in the elevator. I'm unsure if he was a nurse or an orderly, but he is an asset to your agency, that is for sure.nnWe were entering the elevator, my husband is temporarily using a wheelchair, and he nearly swiped the nurse / orderly's ankle with the footrest of the wheelchair ..we apologized and he had a little laugh and pulled a little gift from his pocket and handed it to my husband..It was an adorable handcrafted origami Crane with a little led light folded into it. nnWith that he stepped out onto his designated floor, leaving us with a feeling of kindness and a sense of wonder at this little but heartwarming gift.

We visited BC Cancer Vancouver 600 West 10th Avenue.nGood parking place for Cancer patient.nProvincial Health services Authority...nI am infinitely grateful to the Lymphoma Doctors and Nurses who work here. .....nPlease refer. 11 photos.

My mother’s surgery at VGH went textbook. All scans came back clear…Then to BC Cancer and met with the oncologist that was assigned to my mother.…she seemed nice enough.nBut She did not seem overly sure of her self or instil confidence in my mother or me when we were at appointments, going over precautionary therapies as an insurance policy. Her words…nShe doesn’t do emails or anything, normal people use daily for communication…. Phone calls to an answering service only. And wait for call backs. Not the next day ever.nThe appointments I accompanied my mother too.nI always asked… “is there more options, for treatment therapies?” I’ve heard of this and that.nMy brothers wife is a doctor in California, she would always ask me to ask this question and that, for different very common, but more readily used compared to here in Canada and BC…. Wow… public health is second or third tier…nIn the US if you want the best most advanced treatment. It’s offered right out of the gate. Here in our system… you need to check this box and check that box before anything is offered. If your this age you get this and have to do this treatment first. Then maybe. Only maybe you can get the more advanced therapy treatments after these old therapies that that give a 5-10% chance of doing anything positive. At the same time killing your insides literally.nPretty sure if you offer the best most advanced option first. And you’re cured so to speak. Instead of multiple rounds for possibly years… my common sense, says the first option would cost less over all. Less time in treatment. More care available for more patients sooner.nnThis experience has truly made me think our medical system is seriously broken. And we need two tier medical options. If you want to use public healthcare that’s fine. But if you want to try something private. That’s fine too. Costs are regulated to not price gouging.nWould free spaces in public healthcare for faster service too.nnNothing that BC Cancer offered or treated my mother did anything positive. She has since passed recently. Which has devastated our entire family, all her friends and anymore that met her.

Find it super disappointing that the BC Cancer Agency won’t share details of a memorial walk my family and I will be hosting that will raise awareness and funds for Pancreatic Cancer one of the most deadly cancers because the charity we are working with, Pancreatic Cancer Canada, is a national organization and not located specifically in BC. After reaching out to them, I was told that BC cancer centres cannot advertise non BC cancer activities. Why does the location matter? The organization is Canadian based. Aren’t we all supposed to be working together to raise awareness and funds so that there will one day be a cure? Makes you wonder.

Today 12/03/2024 I went to this agency for a CT scan only to be made to wait for hours in scrubs in a waiting area. Shivering chemo side effect i was horrified to watch staff pass by me, grab a heated blanket for herself, place it over her shoulders, and not even offer one to me or the other cancer patients in the room. I realize this staff may have specific needs too, but don’t neglect who is there and the reasons why this agency exists with heated blankets available in the first place! The perception left is one of staff entitlement while patients go uncared for.nnToday, 04/04/2024 I am updating my one star review and adding stars because the Cancer Agency listens to my complaint and I’ve been noticing every staff offers warm blankets to every patient. I even have warm blankets placed on me during treatment without asking. In addition, the staff and doctor I deal with are phenomenal. So, I won’t let one bad moment ruin the whole experience or the terrible parking availability in the area

Directions to BC Cancer Agency with public transportation

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