For Susan, a retired social worker and art therapist from the Owen Sound area, the drive to Hamilton is just over three hours each way. It is a journey she has made many times over the past few years, and one she considers among the most worthwhile of her life.
Susan was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in December 2021. After initial treatment in Kitchener, she was referred to Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre (JHCC) for a stem cell transplant in June 2022. As one of only three centres in Ontario providing all forms of stem cell transplants, patients from across the region – including more than 130 from Grey County like Susan – journey to JHCC for specialized cancer care.
Susan’s transplant and recovery took place in the Ron and Nancy Clark Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies Unit, a specialized space made possible in part through donor support. After two months living in the Hamilton area with frequent visits to JHCC’s Oncology Day Services, Susan’s transplant and recovery were deemed to be successful and she returned home to Owen Sound, where she and her husband Bryan resumed their active retirement.
When routine monitoring in 2024 showed signs that the leukemia was returning, Susan once again turned to the hematology-oncology team at JHCC. Following further treatment and a donor lymphocyte infusion from her original transplant donor, she is currently back in remission.
Since her leukemia relapse, Susan’s oncologist, Dr. J. Michael Radford has worked to coordinate care between JHCC specialists and her local providers in Owen Sound, minimizing the burden of travel while ensuring she had continued access to tertiary level expertise. Bryan describes this shared-care model as central to their experience, and their continued ability to enjoy their retirement on the shores of Georgian Bay.
Susan and Bryan are deeply grateful to Dr. Radford and the medical team at JHCC who continue to monitor her progress. They give thanks to her anonymous stem cell and lymphocyte donor, and to the donors whose generosity supports specialized facilities and programs at JHCC. A donor herself, she understands the impact that giving can have on patients facing complex health challenges.
“The expertise of Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre is really second to none,” she says.
For patients across a vast region, donor support helps ensure exceptional care reaches everyone who needs it, no matter the distance.