'We'll help them get to yes': CancerCare Foundation hopeful despite huge funding cut

The future of a new $300-million health-care facility is in limbo after massive cuts announced Wednesday, but people with CancerCare and its fundraising arm remain optimistic they can help persuade the province to get back on board.

"We're disappointed but not at all deterred. We are very hopeful," said Annitta Stenning, president and CEO of CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, an independent fundraising body of CancerCare Manitoba.

Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government pulled the plug Wednesday on more than $1 billionin health-care commitments made underthe previous NDP administration. The cuts square with thePallister government's stated mission to reel in provincial spending.

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"It was very difficult to take,"said Dr. Sri Navaratnam, president and CEO of CancerCare.

Provincial Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen said Manitoba cannot afford any new facilities right now because they would exceed a budget cap on health infrastructure spending.

Navaratnamand Stenning met with Goertzen Wednesday afternoon after the announcement. Despite their initial disappointment, Stenning and Navaratnamsay they left the meeting with their optimism restored.

'Tough decisions'

"We understand they really do have some tough decisions to make," Stenning said. "We're a partner in this, our donors are a partner in this and we are confident we'll help them get to 'yes.'"

Plans for a new CancerCarebuilding on McDermot Avenue at Sherbrook Street are nonetheless on hold for now. The space was supposed to be built to help serve an aging population that is living longer with cancer, thanks to new treatments.

CancerCare was also hoping the new projects would attract talented oncologist to Manitoba to do clinical research trials in the province.

Stenning said experts believe the number of people diagnosed and living withcancer over the next decade could jump by 50 per cent.

"That is a very daunting figure andCancerCareis positioning themselves as an organization to continue to respond to that with great care. And we will be a very big part of that solution," Stenning said.

The foundation raises between $8 million and $10 million annually, about $6 million of which is given to CancerCare each year. The foundation has previously committed to providing $60 million to $80 million to the new building projectover and above its annual grants, Stenning said.

The fundraising campaign is still going strong, Stenning said, but she would not say how much has already been raised or name private donors.

"The need is there, the need is very, very strong," she said. "My hope and optimism has not gone away. Wereally have to find an innovative way of doing things to get this project on track."

CancerCareFoundation has already invested $20 million toward the purchase of the land onSherbrook and McDermot as well asinitial project costs.Stenningsaid the expectation was that a building currently at the site would be demolished by the end of this year to make way for the new project.

Regardless of all the uncertainty, Stenning and Navaratnam seem confident everything will come together in the end through consultations with provincial officials.

"We need to reset, we need to re-imagine, we need to find a solution that will work to solve what is right now feeling like a very large challenge," Stenning said.

Back to drawing board

Lac du Bonnet Mayor Gordon Peters is among those considering heading back to the drawing board.

I'm disappointed, obviously, that it affects our community directly. We do have a great need for personal care home beds.- Lac du Bonnet Mayor Gordon Peters

On Wednesday the province released a statement saying an 80-bed personal care facility projected to cost $32 million "will not be going forward at this time."

"I'm very glad that our provincial government is actually looking at the finances and taking steps to bring our finances in line," Peters said."I'm disappointed, obviously, that it affects our community directly. We do have a great need for personal care home beds."

The community, whichfalls within theInterlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority, has some of the longest wait times in the province and is 288 personal care beds short of demand.

Lac du Bonnet currentlyhas afacility with 30 personal care beds and hasbeen anxiously awaiting construction on the new building, first announced by the NDP government in 2012.

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"Our people are very disappointed about [the delays]. Our seniors are planning for their futures as well and they have their concerns about their health and so this is very disappointing to them," Peters said.

"But we are not dismayed in the whole process because I believe there are alternate ways of doing this."

Peters is meeting with Lac du Bonnet town council Thursday night to discuss the latest cuts and explore the possibility of seeking alternative funding to get the care home finished.