In a momentous step forward for cancer care in the BC Interior, the city of Kamloops is now home to the newest Inspire Health Supportive Cancer Care Centre — a facility that promises to support the mind, body, and spirit of cancer patients and their families, free of charge.

The new centre, set to open by the end of the year in Kamloops Square, will provide patients with one-on-one and group access to clinical counselling, nutritional guidance, exercise therapy, and physician-led integrative care. It is the result of years of community collaboration, philanthropic dedication, and a growing recognition of the importance of treating the whole person—not just the disease.

The announcement was met with emotion and gratitude from patients, healthcare leaders, and community members at a public launch event this week.

A Dream Realized

Among the first to speak was Anne McCarthy, a long-time cancer patient and advocate who has been in treatment for two decades.

“Eight years ago, I was told I had six months to live,” she shared. “I’m still here. But cancer treatment isn’t just about medications—it’s about quality of life, dignity, and being treated as a whole person.”

McCarthy credited Inspire Health’s virtual services with helping her move from surviving to thriving.

“They can’t erase my cancer, but they bring comfort and hope in the darkest moments. Supportive care isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline,” she said. “And now, thanks to this new centre, nobody in Kamloops will have to walk this path alone.”

A Community-Led Effort

The project has been years in the making, driven by the commitment of Kamloops residents and organizations. Leading the charge is Anthony Salituro, founder of the Pink Ribbon Charity Ball, who announced a $1 million donation to Inspire Health to establish the local centre.

Salituro’s philanthropic journey began in 1998 at the age of 19, inspired by his Aunt Josephine’s battle with breast cancer.

“We started fundraising at her dining room table,” he recalled. “Over the years, we raised nearly $1 million for breast cancer research, and in 2017, we set a new goal—to raise another million to improve cancer care right here in Kamloops.”

That vision came to fruition when Salituro was introduced to Inspire Health’s approach to supportive cancer care.

“I didn’t know what supportive care really meant until I heard stories from survivors—like my friend Shelly—about how Inspire Health helped her through treatment with her husband and teenage sons,” he said. “At that moment, I knew this was what our community needed.”

Bringing Vital Services Closer to Home

Heidi Coleman of the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation highlighted the critical gaps in supportive care across BC’s Interior and celebrated the strong partnership that made the new centre possible.

“Until now, Inspire Health had locations in Vancouver, Victoria, and Kelowna, but none here,” she said. “This new centre will be a game-changer for Kamloops and surrounding communities.”

For the past few years, Inspire Health has supported Kamloops residents virtually, offering quarterly in-person programming. But as Loveena Chera, CEO of Inspire Health, emphasized, the new physical location will mark a profound shift in access.

“Supportive care improves outcomes, reduces suffering, and enhances well-being. And now, cancer patients in Kamloops can walk into a space built for them, staffed with compassionate professionals,” Chera said.

The clinic will be staffed with a supportive care physician, clinical counsellor, registered dietician, and exercise therapist, backed by Inspire Health’s provincial team. All services will be free and available to patients of any age, at any stage of their cancer journey.

A New Chapter for Cancer Care in BC

For Chera and her team, this is about equity.

“This centre helps fulfill our mission to remove financial and geographic barriers to cancer care,” she said. “Every patient deserves support—not just treatment, but whole-person healing. And this is just the beginning.”

With overwhelming community support and partnerships in place, the Kamloops Inspire Health Centre is expected to open by year’s end.

As McCarthy poignantly put it: “Inspire Health won’t erase the cancer, but they will walk with you through it. And that makes all the difference.”