New Yorkton chemotherapy space brings comfort and care closer to home

When Pam Kresowaty was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2024, being able to receive chemotherapy in Yorkton made a difficult time a little easier.

Travelling to Saskatoon for treatment would have meant a five-hour round trip. Receiving care in Yorkton cut that travel time to about two hours, a significant difference during weeks when she was making regular visits.

Yorkton is one of 16 locations for the Community Oncology Programs of Saskatchewan, delivered in partnership by the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Now a volunteer in the Yorkton Regional Health Centre gift shop, Kresowaty has seen firsthand how cancer care has changed with the opening of a new chemotherapy space, closer to home.

In the past, patients received treatment in chairs set up in former hospital rooms. While the staff did everything they could to make patients comfortable, the rooms were small and couldn't be renovated into an open treatment area.

The new chemotherapy space was designed with input from the nursing team. It is bright, spacious and includes privacy screens for patients who want them.

"I had one patient lean over the desk and say, 'we feel so special to be able to be here,'" said Elyse Thomas, Registered Nurse with the SHA.  

The project was made possible by the generosity of the Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan, community members and countless donors.

Fundraising was completed in less than a year.  

"This is an example of what people in communities can do if they decide that they want to do something to improve some of the care that they have," Ross Fisher, Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan executive direction, said.  

Staff have found patients are more relaxed in the new environment, and some are even able to rest or sleep during treatment. It has also helped reduce wait lists, allowing more patients to receive treatment closer to home.