Three generous gifts by Prince George lumber firms has solidly laid a foundation for the northern cancer lodge as a home for future patients of the B.C. Cancer Agency Centre for the North.
The 36-bed lodge has been named the Kordyban Lodge in memory of the late William Kordyban whose family has contributed $2 million to the development.
Kordyban, who died 11 years ago, was the president and founder of Carrier Lumber in Prince George
A $1 million donation by the Novak family will be recognized through the Novak Meditation and Spiritual Room.
A $1 million contribution by West Fraser Timber will account for the West Fraser Timber Lounge.
The Canadian Cancer Society hosted a gathering at the Coast Inn of the North Wednesday to acknowledge the donations and mark the dedication of three wings of the lodge.
To date, the fundraising campaign by the Canadian Cancer Society, which will operate the lodge has raised $8.5 million of the $10 million needed to build the lodge.
Construction is expected to begin about late June with completion slated for the end of 2010, close to the time the centre is expected to open.
During the launch of a public campaign to raise the $1.5 million still needed, Dr. Winston Bishop, a Prince George oncologist, said the lodge will be "an area of comfort, hope and calm for patients."
"I beg the public to support it," Bishop said.
Officials believe the 25,000-square-foot lodge will be widely used by people from northern B.C. since more than 1,200 of them stayed at lodges in the south during 2010.
Kordyban Lodge will be the fourth to be built in B.C., following the ones in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna.
"Bur the northern lodge will be the best in the province," said Barbara Kaminsky, CEO with the CCS, BC/Yukon.
"It will be the newest, the most pleasing esthetically and best reflect the community it serves."
She added it wouldn't surprise her if cancer patients who live in the vicinity choose to stay there because of the quality of nursing care, good meals and healing atmosphere.
Mary Kordyban, wife of William, said when cancer strikes a family member, as it did her husband, it impacts the entire family as they cope with anxieties and fear of the unknown.
"So in 2007 I created a foundation to be used for cancer care in the North, and two years later the cancer society said a lodge would be built in the Prince George," she said.
Henry Novak, campaign chair, told the gathering that cancer had taken five of his close family members.
"So when our family discussed this donation, it was unanimous that we should participate in a significant way."
Hank Ketchum, CEO for West Fraser Timber said his company wanted a project that would "make an impact on our 3,500 employees in the Interior" and the lodge seemed a perfect choice since everyone is touched in some way by cancer.
The lodge will provide full meal services and supportive facilities, massage therapy room, library, activity room, exercise facility, wig and prosthetics room and support programs.
An aging population promises a 60-per-cent increase of cancer cases during the next 20 years, Right now, 20,000 people in B.C. are diagnosed with cancer every year, and more than 1,000 of them live in northern B.C.
Those wishing to be part of the cancer lodge campaign by donating or raising funds can call the CCS office at 250-564-0885.
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