Radiation Therapy Corridor Project

Alberta Health Services is improving access to radiation therapy by developing three new treatment centres. These new centres, in association with existing ones in Edmonton and Calgary, will form the Alberta Radiation Therapy Corridor.

Research shows that by adding radiation therapy services to three additional Alberta cities, the number of people having to travel 100 kilometres or more to receive treatment will be reduced from 28 per cent to eight per cent.

The project is funded both provincially and federally.

Lethbridge is the first city with the new specialized cancer treatment centre, which opened in June 2010 to address the needs of southern Alberta residents. The Central Alberta Cancer Centre in Red Deer will open its new radiation therapy treatment centre in late 2012, with construction now underway.

Grande Prairie will be the third site of the corridor project and will follow the construction in Red Deer.

When completed, the Alberta Radiation Therapy Corridor project will significantly reduce travel for patients requiring this form of cancer treatment and improve access to radiation therapy throughout Alberta.