Oncology hires could clear treatment backlog

New Brunswick's biggest hospital is hoping five new radiation technologists can clear up a backlog of cancer patients later this summer.

Hospital officials hope that means patients won't have to leave the province for treatment.

Cancer patient Chris Maneer is scheduled for treatment in Bangor, Maine within the next few months.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer just before Christmas, and had surgery in January. She's waiting for follow-up radiation treatment, but she can't get it in Saint John, because the hospital doesn't have enough radiation technologists.

Maneer is number 17 on the New Brunswick waiting list. "This is not acceptable to me, because I want to get on with my life."

Maneer is now forced to do what dozens of others have already done – leave the province for treatment.

Oncology chief Dr. Eshwar Kumar, says he knows how difficult the situation is. "Obviously its been extremely stressful. I can't even imagine the stress and the anxiety that they are going through. And that is really unfortunate. But I'm hoping that the situation will change by the end of the summer."

By the end of the summer, Kushmar says five new technologists should be whittling down the backlog. They start work in July.