Subscribers partner to support young patients with cancer

Thursday, February 09, 2012 Natalie Hamilton

A partnership between two Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada subscribers and the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) is helping Durham Region children who have cancer receive “the best possible care” closer to home.

Rouge Valley Health System is working with the Hospital for Sick Children’s pediatric oncology program and POGO in an effort to provide high-quality pediatric cancer care through the POGO satellite clinic at Rouge Valley’s Centenary site in Scarborough. 

“Because POGO sets the standards for pediatric oncology care across the province, our patients are able to receive the highest standard of care available to them at their community hospital,” says Dr. Karen Chang, chief of pediatrics at Rouge Valley Centenary, in a news release.

“Through our close relationship with SickKids, we are able to co-manage our patients and our patients’ families can be confident that we are all working together to provide them with the best possible care.”

Currently, 105 patients access treatment at the clinic. For some young patients it prevents trips to Toronto because they can have blood work completed and receive chemotherapy on site.

Almost 4,000 children in Ontario are currently receiving treatment or follow-up care for cancer.

POGO works to ensure all Ontario children have equal access to state-of-the-art diagnosis, treatment and services. 

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