Queen’s Park is giving a funding boost to London Health Sciences Centre’s stem-cell transplant program

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London Health Sciences Centre is getting a shot in the arm from the province to boost its stem-cell transplant capabilities – improving the hospital’s ability to treat complex blood cancers.

The regional health-care powerhouse is one of two Ontario hospitals in line for the upgrades, which will add 22 inpatient beds province-wide. Ontario health Minister Eric Hoskins made the announcement at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto Thursday, the other hospital slated for expansion.

London Health Sciences Centre is getting seven new inpatient beds, a renovated outpatient treatment clinic and a new outpatient and chemotherapy pharmacy.

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre will be home to 15 new beds and a brand new outpatient clinic that will support up to eight new stem-cell therapy doctors.

Stem-cell transplants replace abnormal cells with healthy ones. The procedure is typically used for people whose cells have been affected by lymphoma, leukemia or blood disorders.

The clinics and extra beds are needed to address the growing need for stem-cell transplants. When complete, the province will be able to perform 440 more stem-cell transplants each year.