1985: Big hair, Wayne Gretzky and the beginning of cancer care in Niagara

For some of us, 1985 seems like yesterday. It was the era of big hair, Wayne Gretzky was at his prime, Amadeus won the Oscar for best picture and less than 40,000 people across North America actually owned cell phones.

Although things were very different 25 years ago, there is a lot that hasn’t changed, like finding the elusive cure for cancer.

In this issue of Niagara Health Now, we’re taking a look back over the last quarter century to the early beginnings of Oncology services in Niagara. The Oncology Program was launched in February 1985 at the former Hotel Dieu Hospital – now our Ontario Street Site in St. Catharines.

Some of the healthcare professionals and providers who were there at the very beginning continue to support the program, and we thank them for their ongoing dedication and service.

In the years that have passed, there has been tremendous advancement in the development of chemotherapy treatments while at the same time spiraling growth in demand for the service as more and more Niagarans battle cancer.

One of the most prolific and telling stories we have published in Niagara Health Now is the story of Laurie Martens on pages 6 and 7 of this issue. The St. Catharines woman shares her personal journey, which began in 1988 at the young age of 22, with chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkin’s Disease.

We thank Laurie for sharing her life story with us to remind all that cancer can be beaten and that there remains much work to do and care to give as we move through the next 25 years of providing cancer treatment to the people of our region. «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer