[OTTAWA, ON, Jun 4 2018] – On June 4th, 2018, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson proclaimed National Cancer Survivors Month in recognition of over one million cancer survivors living in Canada today. This proclamation took place at City Hall in the presence of representatives of the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network. The co-chairman of Prostate Cancer Canada Network Ottawa and patient advocates for breast cancer and lymphoma were also in attendance.
Mayor Watson stated that “a cancer survivor is defined as anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of their life; an estimated 206,200 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in Canada this year.”
“The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that there are over a million cancer survivors living in Canada today. That means that they’ve lived ten years after a cancer diagnosis.” says Jackie Manthorne, President & CEO of CCSN.
Cancer survivors around the globe show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be fruitful, rewarding and even inspiring. It is also a time to draw attention to the ongoing challenges of cancer survivorship in order to promote more resources, research, and survivor-friendly legislation to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
While early diagnosis and improvements in treatment have resulted in cancer patients living longer, much remains to be done to ameliorate the physical, emotional, and financial effects of cancer on survivors as well as including cancer survivors in decision-making on issues which affect them within Canada’s cancer care and healthcare system.