Harm from cancer treatment prompts crusade to restore Sask hyperbaric oxygen chamber

A Regina cancer patient whose radiation treatments jeopardized her life is receiving hyperbaric oxygen in Moose Jaw thanks to the advocacy of her son who wants the chamber available full-time.The hyperbaric chamber opened in 2015 after months of pressure from the Moose Jaw community and an $850,000 fundraising drive spearheaded by Moose Jaw firefighters. However, the province closed the chamber in 2021, forcing Saskatchewan burn victims, cancer patients and others to be transferred out of province.The Opposition NDP held a media event on the hyperbaric chamber in Moose Jaw this week and pressed the government on the issue in the afternoon.Premier Scott Moe said the government's "commitment to operate that hyperbaric chamber" remains true."There is a requirement for four respiratory therapists to service the full scope of hours that that hyperbaric chamber would like to offer. Three of those respiratory therapists have been secured, Mr. Speaker, which is resulting in reduced service," said Moe in the legislature.Moe said when a fourth respiratory therapist was acquired, full services would resume.At the Legislature, Rural and Remote Health Minister Tim McLeod said the pandemic put hyperbaric chamber specialists in high demand and they were transferred away from the hyperbaric chamber unit.“We are actively restoring those services,” said McLeod to reporters.“As soon as we have a fourth respiratory therapist recruited, we will have full resumption of services at the hyperbaric chamber.”McLeod said the Saskatchewan Health Authority said only two people reported a need for the hyperbaric service, one currently using it and another putting a treatment plan together for its future use.Brayden Dutchak, whose mother is the one using the chamber, spoke at the Moose Jaw event and to reporters at the legislature. He was unimpressed with the premier's comments.“It was a very generic copy and paste Google answer kind of situation,” said Dutchak. “No answer was given to the question in my opinion. So I’m not surprised.”Of the number of respiratory therapists required, Dutchak said “there’s never been four. When it was running in 2016 and prior, they never had four. You can fact check it yourself, there’s been three. So I don’t know why when somebody needs it there’s four required now.”Dutchak said the hyperbaric oxygen chamber would be used more if doctors knew of its benefits and existence. He said he had to press his mother's doctors to get the referral because they were unaware of the benefits.

Harm from cancer treatment prompts crusade to restore Sask hyperbaric oxygen chamber

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