B.C. cabinet minister announces 'heartbreaking' return of cancer

British Columbia Finance Minister Selina Robinson speaks during the official opening of the Canadian Cancer Society Centre for Cancer Prevention and Support, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Selina Robinson, the B.C. NDP's minister for post-secondary education, has revealed she is once again battling cancer.

Addressing the provincial legislature on Tuesday, Robinson said her latest diagnosis was confirmed less than two years after she was finally able to stop treatment for the gastrointestinal stromal tumor that was discovered back in 2006.

"I went for my scan and I got the unfortunate news that cancer's back, and it's heartbreaking," Robinson said. "I'm back on my chemotherapy and disappointed."

One of the hardest parts was telling her children "their mother has cancer again," said the Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA.

Robinson's cancer, sometimes called GIST, is a rare form that begins in the digestive tract, most often in the stomach or small intestine.

Robinson, whose former roles include finance minister and minister of municipal affairs and housing, noted the need for cancer screening and treatment continues to grow along with B.C.'s population.

Almost 90 people per day are diagnosed with cancer across the province, she added, referencing an alarming statistic shared in the government's throne speech Monday.

"That number will only increase," Robinson said.

"After a cancer diagnosis, nobody should be stuck waiting for treatment they urgently need. That's why your government will continue its work to build our health workforce and fight cancer with new investments to enhance access to screening and early detection, diagnostic imaging, and treatments."

Her announcement was met with a wave of support from across parties in the legislature.

"You have beat cancer before and we know you will beat it again," BC Liberal opposition leader Kevin Falcon wrote on Twitter.

Robinson confirmed she will remain in her current post while undergoing treatment.

Former NDP leader John Horgan stepped down last year, a decision he made, in part, because of flagging energy he experienced in the wake of his own recent battle with cancer. The premier was diagnosed with throat cancer in late 2021, and completed treatment by January 2022.