Last Spring Act Up in Sask reported that the specialists serving southern Saskatchewan were at risk of closing their offices, due to working conditions so inappropriate the doctors felt they could not continue providing services in that manner. The situation has only worsened since then. In most other jurisdictions in Canada, gynecologic oncologists work in a hospital setting with proper support from nursing and pathology. In Regina, these specialists must rent their own examination rooms and provide their own support from medical professionals. 

These specialists should be in the operating room or examining patients instead of looking for proper examining rooms. They could be reviewing pathology reports and recommending chemotherapy treatments instead of looking for nursing support. There is also a lack of after hours support. The situation is deteriorating. At least in Saskatoon, the two gynecologic oncologists there work in the Royal University Hospital. The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region is promising proper space will be available in two years when their renovations are complete, however no description of the promised space is available. The group wants an interim solution to be implemented immediately to remove the stress from the situation and ensure these specialists are focused on patients not bureaucratic nonsense.

Darlene Gray, a Director of OCATS (Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment In Saskatchewan) asked, “Why has the Ministry of Health not responded to these concerns? We have been promised repeatedly that the issue would be dealt with. Finally on Thursday, without consulting anyone in the Working Group, without even consulting with the specialists themselves, the meeting to reveal the solution was mysteriously deferred.” 

It seems the words of urgent and critical are of no significance to the government when it comes to ovarian cancer, said Ms. Gray. “There is a mentality of Dead Women Walking when it comes to ovarian cancer that we are fighting. It’s not true, but it’s so difficult to get the government and even some doctors to realize that lives can be saved with the proper treatment by a skilled gynecologic oncologist. We wonder if the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region has this attitude.”

The OCATS group of gynecologic cancer patients is so frustrated that a simple issue like office space is too much for the agencies and departments involved to figure out. This fact saps their confidence that anything can be done. It makes one wonder if she has suspected ovarian cancer, can she be treated expertly in southern Saskatchewan? The group wants the government to deal with this issue before the year ends.

Most ovarian cancer patients die within months of diagnosis.  Please help the survivors by adding your voice to theirs.  Please call your MLA and the Ministry of Health and demand that the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region solve the problem today.

For more information contact Darlene Gray at 306-775-1848, cell 529-3199, email .

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