Drago and Shanley Pavletic and their children: Luke (who received cancer treatment in London) and his sister Petra - (CJ Goater/Acadia Broadcasting)
Childhood cancer care has arrived in northwestern Ontario.
Two new Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) programs have been launched at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC).
POGO leads childhood cancer care in the province.
The organization serves as the official advisor to Ontario’s Ministry of Health on children’s cancer control and treatment.
Funding from the provincial government is helping POGO expand its Satellite and Interlink Nursing programs at the TBRHSC.
Prior to the launch, families in the region had to head to the London Health Sciences Centre’s Children’s Hospital to receive care.
The establishment of the programs will ensure families won’t have to make as many trips to London, meaning more time at home.
“It was important for us to be at Thunder Bay Regional for the launch of these POGO programs,” said Thunder Bay residents Drago and Shanley Pavletic, whose son received cancer treatment in London. “We know firsthand what it meant to be away from home while our child was in treatment. Now, parents won’t always have to leave their jobs or split their families apart. You can’t put a price on that kind of peace of mind.”
POGO now coordinates nine satellite clinics in hospitals across Ontario.
The clinic at the TBRHSC includes doctors, nurses, child life specialists, and social workers, providing a range of pediatric cancer services.
Interlink Nurse will be assigned to families at diagnosis, connecting them to the services they need, whether in the hospital or the community.
They may also visit the child’s school to share information about the child’s cancer journey with teachers and the child’s or their sibling’s classmates.
“POGO programs provide wrap-around care and support to children and families from diagnosis to treatment to survivorship, and, when needed, end-of-life care,” said POGO CEO Lauren Ettin.
“Expansion of the POGO Satellite Clinic and Interlink programs to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre signals meaningful change for local families and fulfills an important objective of Ontario’s five-year Childhood Cancer Care Plan, to bring care closer to home,” said President and CEO of TBRHSC, Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott. “This designation marks a significant step forward in enhancing the quality of care for children and families facing cancer in Northwestern Ontario.”
“Through this partnership with POGO and the Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, we will be able to offer more comprehensive and coordinated care closer to home. Most importantly, children can now receive specialized treatment right here in Thunder Bay, enabling families to remain together during a challenging time.”
