Going Public with Letter to the BC Cancer Agency

Letter hand-delivered March 24, 2009

Dear Mr. Brian Schmidt, interim President, BC Cancer Agency;
Dr. Charles Blanke, Head of Div. of Medical Oncology, Systemic;
Ms. Cheri Van Patten, Registered Dietician & Clinical Researcher

I am writing as a long-term patient of the BC Cancer Agency. I was first diagnosed with locally-advanced breast cancer in 2000 (patient #000-1804). I have been in the fabulous care of Dr. Karen Gelmon since then. I received treatment in 2000 and was seemingly disease-free until the spring of 2008.

On Thursday, February 5th, 2009 I began chemotherapy (for the first time) and just had my third dose on Friday, March 20th. I am receiving a chemo cocktail comprised of Herceptin, Taxol and Carboplatin, which means that I spend long periods of time on the sixth floor of the BC Cancer Agency.

Following are several questions/concerns that I have:

1. The Contents of the Snack Trolley

I am shocked that the snack trolley has only unhealthy snacks! Poor quality chocolate bars? Lay’s potato chips? Sugar-laden cookies?

2. Serving Tea and Coffee in Styrofoam Cups

The evidence really seems to point to styrene being a carcinogen, not to mention that it takes about 100 years for Styrofoam to break down in a land fill. Also, it makes tea taste lousy.

3. Lack of Recycling at BC Cancer Agency

When I was leaving on Friday after my third dose, I asked the nurse if there was a blue bin to put my newspaper in. “Not on this floor,” she said, “maybe in the cafeteria.” As I walked down the hall I saw three huge green garbage bags stuffed full. “I wonder how much of the contents are recyclable,” I thought to myself as I sought out a recycling bin for my newspapers. The woman at reception kindly put it in her recycling bin…she wasn’t sure if there were any others on the main floor and then I asked for the name of the president of the BC Cancer Agency so that I could write this letter.

I have a background in marketing and public relations. I would be happy to pursue healthier options for your snack trolley as a volunteer. I believe that with very little effort, the contents could be greatly improved, at no additional cost to the Agency.

Also, I have a friend who recently spear-headed the institution of a recycling program at our children’s elementary school. I would be very happy to forward information to you as to how to arrange for this.

Given that there appears to be an environmental link to at least some cancers, shouldn’t BC Cancer Agency be taking a leadership role in mitigating its eco-unfriendly footprint?

I look forward to being of service,



Sincerely,




Zoë Lewis


p.s. A friend, who also benefits from the BC Cancer Agency’s services, asked me if I would say something “…about the cafeteria. It used to be so good that the staff at VGH came through the tunnels for lunch. It is now virtually empty. It too, should be striving to model the kind of diet that patients and family should be eating.”

cc: Dr. Karen Gelmon, Medical Oncologist

The following email was sent today to the previous recipients plus the person who phoned me from the Agency on March 24th plus the person who is the media contact at the Agency:

Subject: Still Awaiting an Email or Snail Mail Response to My Letter

Dear Sue Fuller Blamey:

On March 31st at 10:57 a.m. you left me a phone message saying that your name is Sue Fuller Blamey, Director of Quality and Safety at the BC Cancer Agency and that you had called to say that you had received my letter about the snack trolley among other things and to: "...let you [me] know what we're going to do about it and just to acknowledge your letter..."

I'm not sure how you got my phone number? Perhaps it is acceptable for anyone at BC Cancer Agency to access a patient's data for non-medical reasons? I did call back late on the afternoon of March 31st explaining that I was needing to conserve my energy as I had just had a dose of chemo and to please email me and verbally gave my email address twice and you of course had my home address.

It is now April 20th and I have yet to receive further communication from you. I have posted my letter on my blog:

http://bethechangeyouwanttoseeinvancouver.blogspot.com

I am looking forward to hearing from BC Cancer Agency and to find out if you are wanting my volunteer services to help with the snack trolley or instituting a recycling system for the Agency. As you may be aware, Wednesday, April 22nd is Earth Day. It would be wonderful and appropriate if the Agency makes an announcement by then. Please feel free to make a comment on my blog.

For your information, I am thinking about being in touch with some of my contacts in the media who may consider some of these issues to be of interest to their readers/listeners/viewers.

Sincerely,
Zoë (Lewis)
zoe (at) screamingpeacock.ca

p.s.: I find it interesting that the only instances where there are contact names and direct phone numbers on the BC Cancer Agency's website are for the media and for people who want to give the Agency donations. For every one else, including patients, they are expected to use the main switchboard.