Canadian Cancer Society assists hundreds at Kordyban Lodge in 2024

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — The Canadian Cancer Society helped more than 600 people in northeast B.C. last year by providing residential services. 

During the October 2nd regional board meeting, the Canadian Cancer Society presented to the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) about the Kordyban Lodge in Prince George. 

The lodge is operated by the Canadian Cancer Society, and offers individuals seeking cancer treatment in Prince George lodgings and three meals a day for $31.50 a night. 

In January, the PRRD approved several grants for healthcare, including a three-year grant of $72,172 a year to support the lodge.

Simmi Parhar, the lodge manager, gave an overview of the lodge’s activities in 2024, which included providing housing and meals for 602 clients undergoing cancer treatment in Prince George. 

Parhar noted the costs can still add up with six to seven months of treatment at a time, but emphasized the affordability compared to other options. 

“When you go to hotels where it’s minimum $100 a night with no meals included, this definitely makes a difference for people in the north that this lodge is able to service those in the north so they don’t have to go to Kelowna [or] Vancouver for the radiation treatments.”

According to a list of the 10 communities which used the lodge the most in 2024, 41 clients were from Fort St. John, 39 from Dawson Creek and 19 from Chetwynd.

Other communities that used the lodge included Quesnel, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Burns Lake, Smithers, Kitimat and Vanderhoof. 

“The resounding comments that we’ve always gotten is, ‘it’s so good to be near to home.’” 

According to the overview, the lodge accrued $54,110 in revenue in 2024, resulting in an operating deficit of $96,920, which was covered by $101,562 in funding from the Canadian Cancer Society and the PRRD.