When Bob Charron retired at 58 after a 35-year career in the RCMP, he had big plans for the next chapter in his life. He couldnB次元官网网址檛 wait to spend more time with his wife, kids and grandson.

Unfortunately, only a few short months after he retired, his plans were stopped in their tracks: Bob was diagnosed with Stage 2B prostate cancer.

His oncologist at BC Cancer - Kelowna quickly identified that he was a prime candidate for an innovative treatment called brachytherapy.

Through brachytherapy, Bob would have a tiny radioactive seed implanted in a single session and avoid up to five weeks of daily radiation treatments using beams.

The treatment worked very quickly and his tests showed a dramatic and nearly immediate response. BobB次元官网网址檚 retirement plans soon got back on track B次元官网网址� he and his wife even enjoyed a month-long trip to Belize.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 living proof that innovations in cancer research and care can save lives,B次元官网网址� Bob says. B次元官网网址淚 am so grateful for the incredible treatment I received at BC Cancer.B次元官网网址�

Dr. Ross Halperin, executive medical director, BC Cancer B次元官网网址� Kelowna, says there are many benefits to brachytherapy as opposed to other types of radiation treatment.

B次元官网网址淲hatB次元官网网址檚 special about brachytherapy is that the radioactive sources are placed directly where the tumour is so the radiation doesnB次元官网网址檛 have to travel through the body to get to the tumour target,B次元官网网址� says Dr. Halperin. B次元官网网址淭hat allows us to deliver a lot more radiation treatment safely to the tumour while protecting the body from the harms of radiation treatment in the normal tissues.B次元官网网址�

Another advantage is the rapidity of treatment, he explains: B次元官网网址淢any of our standard radiation treatments from the outside in take six to eight weeks of daily treatment Monday through Friday to complete, whereas brachytherapy is typically completed for a number of cancers in one to four-day surgeries. More than 70 per cent of the patients our oncologists treat are from communities like Cranbrook, Invermere, Nelson, Vernon and Kamloops, and they benefit from faster treatments and less time away from their homes and families.B次元官网网址�

Brachytherapy has evolved greatly since its beginning B次元官网网址� Dr. Halperin says it has a long track record of success in prostate cancer and more recently in womenB次元官网网址檚 womb cancers, such as cervical cancer. ItB次元官网网址檚 also currently being developed for the treatment of breast cancers.

According to Dr. Halperin, BC Cancer Foundation donors have played a significant role in advancing the latest research into brachytherapy.

B次元官网网址淚n Kelowna in particular, the community raised the money to buy the inaugural equipment that allowed us to start the prostate brachytherapy program,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淎nd the development of brachytherapy in breast cancer also owes its progress to community and donor support B次元官网网址� had we not had the community support, it might have been another decade before it arrived.B次元官网网址�

To continue to propel leading-edge innovation in brachytherapy at BC Cancer B次元官网网址� Kelowna and ensure patients in the Interior continue to have access to world-class care, the Foundation has embarked on a $3.5 million fundraising initiative to establish a Chair in Brachytherapy at the centre.

To learn how you can support pioneering research into targeted, precise cancer treatment, visit