RIDGECREST, Calif. (KERO) — Patients at the Ridgecrest Regional Hospital Cancer Center received a letter at the end of last month where they learned that the cancer center will no longer be providing treatment to people in the area.
The letter reads in part “recently, Ridgecrest Regional Hospital learned that our clinical partnership at City of Hope are no longer able to support the RRH Cancer Center, due to a shortage of oncologists.”
The letter continues to say "in light of this loss, we have examined the program from every angle to see if there is any way to maintain it. We love our patients, and we don’t want to discontinue our cancer treatment and support. But our conclusion is that we can not provide the comprehensive care that you and the community need in a cancer center without support from a partner."
Karen St. Leger, a cancer patient at the hospital says when she got the letter she thought about the patients who are dealing with cancer diagnoses right now.
“What about the 50-year-old man that’s going to find out he has prostate cancer? Where are they going to go, Bakersfield? That’s 100 miles. So, people who are on maintenance after they have surgery or after they’ve taken care of their cancer, there’s maintenance, like you might have to have chemo. That could be 4 or 5 times a week, radiation. They gonna drive back and forth, three or four times a week.”
One person who works directly with the hospital and spoke with 23ABC on the condition of anonymity expressed disappointment in the decision to close the cancer center, saying it will have a dramatic impact on those most vulnerable in Ridgecrest, a community that has already suffered following the July 2019 earthquakes that devastated the area.
And St. Leger says she just wants anyone to help if they can.
“If anybody out there has the power to help fix this, keep the oncology department, please do. You could be the next mother or grandmother that has a kid that’s 7- or 8 years old and things happen, and they could be diagnosed. What are you going to do?
St. Leger says she’s been following up with the hospital to understand why they are losing this department and she was told it was a decision by the board of directors.
23ABC also reached out to the hospital and cancer center for a response but have not heard back.
