The gleaming June sunlight streams through generous windows, casting a warm glow across the newly renovated Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Ambulatory Care Clinic. As I sit with Donna Wellington, a 62-year-old breast cancer patient from Petrolia, she gestures to the transformation around us.
“Before, it felt clinical – sterile and crowded,” she tells me, adjusting the colorful scarf wrapped around her head. “Now, I actually look forward to coming. Can you believe that? Looking forward to chemotherapy?”
The $650,000 renovation at Bluewater Health’s cancer care facility in Sarnia represents more than just an aesthetic upgrade. Completed in early 2024 after six months of construction, it embodies a fundamental shift in how healthcare spaces can affect healing.
“We knew our patients deserved better,” says Dr. Emmanuel Maicas, medical director of oncology at Bluewater Health. “The old space was functional, but it wasn’t conducive to the emotional and psychological aspects of cancer treatment.”
The renovation expanded the treatment area from 1,800 to 2,400 square feet, allowing for more privacy between patient stations – a crucial consideration when someone might be receiving difficult news or simply needs a moment of quiet dignity during treatment.
I watch as nurses navigate the new workflow design, moving efficiently between patients. The staffing hasn’t changed, but their effectiveness has. One nurse, Brenda Harrison, who has worked at the clinic for 15 years, tells me the renovation has reduced her daily steps by nearly half.
“I’m spending more time with patients instead of running back and forth,” she explains. “It makes a difference when you can sit with someone who’s frightened rather than feeling constantly rushed.”
The clinic now treats approximately 120 patients weekly, a 15% increase from previous capacity. This expansion comes at a critical time: according to Ontario Health data, cancer diagnoses in Lambton County have risen 8% over the past five years, mirroring provincial trends.
Beyond the numbers, the renovation reflects contemporary understanding of “healing environments” – spaces designed with both medical and emotional wellbeing in mind. Research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that natural light, reduced noise, and privacy considerations can measurably improve patient outcomes and reduce recovery times.
“The environment signals something to patients,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Huynh, an environmental psychologist who studies healthcare design. “When they enter a space that’s been thoughtfully created for their comfort, it communicates care beyond just the medical treatment.”
The renovation included replacing harsh fluorescent lighting with adjustable LED systems, installing sound-absorbing materials to create a quieter atmosphere, and introducing a soothing color palette of soft blues and greens. Perhaps most significantly, the space now includes a dedicated family consultation room where patients and loved ones can process information together.
For Tom Carswell, whose wife Maria is receiving treatment for colorectal cancer, this room has been invaluable. “We’ve had some hard conversations in there,” he tells me, his voice lowering slightly. “But at least we’re not having them while Maria sits in a chair with just a curtain between us and the next patient.”
The project was funded through a combination of hospital operational funds and community fundraising efforts led by the Bluewater Health Foundation. Local businesses, including several from the petrochemical sector that dominates Sarnia’s industrial landscape, contributed significantly.
“This community takes care of its own,” says Kathy Alexander, executive director of the Bluewater Health Foundation. “When we explained the vision for the renovated space, donations came in quickly. People understand that almost everyone will be touched by cancer in some way.”
Indeed, cancer touches many in this community of approximately 75,000. Lambton County’s cancer rates slightly exceed provincial averages, a statistic some local researchers attribute to historical occupational exposures in the Chemical Valley industrial complex.
Dr. Maicas is quick to point out that the renovation isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about the comprehensive cancer care package. “We’re not just treating disease; we’re treating people,” he emphasizes. “And people need environments that support their whole journey.”
That journey looks different for each patient. For Wellington, it means comfortable chairs that reduce the back pain she experiences during treatments. For Jordan Mathers, a 34-year-old father of two receiving treatment for lymphoma, it means having space for his children to visit occasionally.
“My kids were scared of the old clinic,” Mathers explains as he receives an infusion. “It felt like a place where sick people go. This feels more like a place where people get better.”
The renovation includes thoughtful details that might escape casual notice but make significant differences to regular patients – USB charging ports at each station, adjustable lighting controls, better temperature regulation, and artwork from local artists depicting serene Lake Huron landscapes.
As my visit concludes, I witness a small but meaningful moment – a new patient arrives, visibly tense. The expanded entryway allows a volunteer to greet her privately, offer orientation, and escort her to her treatment area without the previous congestion and confusion. Her shoulders visibly relax.
It’s these human moments that emphasize the renovation’s success. While advanced medical treatments remain at the heart of cancer care, the environment surrounding that care matters profoundly. For the patients of Lambton County, their healing journey now takes place in a space designed to support not just their medical needs, but their humanity.
“Cancer takes so much from you,” Wellington tells me as we part. “Your hair, your energy, sometimes your hope. It’s nice to have a place that gives something back – even if it’s just dignity and comfort.”
