Ralliers chant “chemo room”; some motorists honked, showing their support.

Frustrated cancer patients, and family and friends rallied outside Thompson General Hospital, Friday.

They want the government and the NHR to finally expand and renovate the chemotherapy room. The NHR identified the project as a need back in 2006, but the work has yet to be complete.

Organizer of the rally Shelley Carey says it’s time for the work to be done:

"Every year they would put a tender out, they would get a bid, which would be higher than what they thought they were gonna pay, so the government and the NHR would just say ‘oh we have to put this aside for another year’. Like, hello, some of us aren’t going to make it another year".

Thompson MLA Steve Ashton, who attended the rally, told us the most recent tender bids were above budget as well, but he says he’s spoken with Health Minister Sharon Blady, and the goal is to start construction early in the New Year.