Cancer Care
Grand River Hospital celebrated 20 years of providing cancer care close to home in our communities at the Grand River Cancer Centre
This fall, the Grand River Cancer Centre is celebrating 20 years. Though cancer care has been a part of Grand River Hospital’s services since the 1990s, the hospital’s commitment to expanding this care through the development of a regional cancer centre meant patients from across Waterloo Region could finally access treatment closer to home. In addition to expanding systemic therapy care like Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy. The new centre also enabled the development of a multidisciplinary cancer program, offering services including cancer screening and prevention, genetic counselling psychosocial oncology support, as well as research and clinical trials.
Key highlights of the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program’s 20-year journey in cancer care
The first cancer centre in Waterloo Region: When its doors opened in 2003, the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre was a state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment facility, enabling patients to receive the most advanced and comprehensive care available, close to home, meaning patients no longer needed to travel to London, Hamilton, Toronto, or beyond for the majority of their testing, treatment, and care.
Leading Medical Experts: The cancer team has over 300 highly skilled oncologists, surgeons, and patient-facing and patient-serving staff who have been at the forefront of cancer research and treatment, providing patients with the best possible outcomes.
Cutting-Edge Research: Since 2003, Grand River Hospital has been a hub for clinical trials and cancer research, contributing to the development of new therapies and treatment modalities.
Comprehensive Support Services: The regional cancer program provides comprehensive support services, including counseling, survivorship programs, and holistic care to address the emotional and psychological needs of cancer patients and their families.
Patient and Family Advisory Council: The program is proud to have a network of dedicated patient and family advisors who lend their experience and voice to different projects across the hospital from decision-making to supporting current patients on their cancer journey.
DID YOU KNOW?
1. The Cancer Centre sees an average of 404 patients daily (compared to the average of 39 patients daily when opened)
2. One in eight women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and in 2023 alone, 14,424 patients from our communities visited the Waterloo Wellington Breast Centre at Grand River Hospital.
3. At any given time, around 200 children and their families are experiencing a cancer journey in our community alone.
4. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men — it was estimated that more than 25,000 Canadian men would be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023 alone.  In our Cancer Centre we treated 349 prostate cancer patients from April 2023 - March 2024.
As the main site and cancer partner of the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program, our Cancer  Centre is a full-service cancer treatment and research centre, with special areas of care including:
- chemotherapy
- radiation therapy
- supportive care (e.g. social work, registered dietitians, spiritual care, etc.)
- inpatient oncology
- pain and symptom management
- palliative care
- clinical trials
With such diverse needs and growing patient volumes the funding needs change annually, and is always one of our largest areas of granting.  The grants we’ve made in the last three years are shown below.  With $1.0M in Unfunded Cancer Drugs and the Care and Compassion Fund being an important annual need.
Provincial regulatory bodies determine which drugs can be used to treat which types of cancer and in which situations. Some are funded by the government, while others are not, and unfunded drugs are often brand new or still awaiting final approval from Cancer Care Ontario (CCO). For those with limited income or no health benefits, trying a different line of potentially lifesaving medication is often simply not an option without financial support.
When other medications and treatment options have been ineffective, a medication that is not funded by the government may need to be used as the next line of treatment. Ground-breaking treatments that are expensive and complex to deliver can also be lifesaving but often place a significant financial burden on the patient. Receiving a new, unfunded medication can lead to getting a patient’s cancer under control, or it may enable them to live well for years longer than would have been possible without it.
Grand River Hospital budgets approximately $1.0 million to support cancer patients who can benefit from lifesaving drugs that are not funded by the government, but each year the need for financial support continues to surpass the available resources and is likely to continue to exceed these projections. Â Given the IV administration of these treatments and high cost of these drugs this funding annually services 1.5% - 4% of the patient months of treatment administered. Â And without this funding there would be no alternative treatments.