June 6, 2022
DRAYTON VALLEY — With the recruitment of two new physicians, the Drayton Valley Community Cancer Centre has resumed providing cancer care for patients in the community after a six-month service suspension due to staffing shortages.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is pleased to welcome Dr. Ike Akwu-ude and Dr. Valerie Smith to the Drayton Valley Community Cancer Centre. And it is welcome news for patients and the community alike.
“Having any sort of care disruption can have major effects on a community, and for patients, having to travel for the care they need can be an additional stressor. I’m so pleased that efforts by Alberta Health Services to resume cancer services in Drayton Valley have come to fruition,” says Drayton Valley-Devon MLA Mark Smith.
“Thank you to Dr. Akwu-ude and Dr. Smith for offering care in this community.”
Dr. Ike Akwu-Ude, a family physician from Red Deer, is passionate about providing patient-centered care using evidence-based best practices and is now providing outpatient cancer care to the patients in Drayton Valley and surrounding area.
Dr. Valerie Smith is a family physician in Camrose, who has been practicing in the community since 1998. Located at the Camrose Community Cancer Clinic, she is now providing virtual cancer care from Camrose.
“The ability to once again offer cancer care to our patients in the Drayton Valley community and surrounding area is welcome news for our patients, the community, and our care providers,” says Danielle Moch, Program Lead, Community Cancer Care.
The Drayton Valley Community Cancer Centre provides outpatient cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, biotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, as well as cancer patient navigation services.
AHS continues to recruit across Central Alberta to meet community needs.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
