Have you ever wondered what happens when there are no more lines of treatment left? No clinical trial left to try. You’re staring down the barrel of a last-ditch chemo or radiation regime. If you haven’t, count yourself as one of the lucky ones.
On December 8, 2025, we learned of the passing of Angus Pratt. A well known and respected patient advocate in both the breast and lung cancer communities. He dedicated his time to multiple organizations, lending his voice to support the mission of achieving equitable cancer care for all.
Angus’s voice spoke a little louder than all the others though, for he advocated on behalf of two underrepresented cancer types: male breast cancer and lung cancer. In Canada, approximately 250 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which means that less than 1 per cent of all diagnosed cases are in men (BC Cancer Foundation, 2020).
Lung cancer stigma is a huge issue in Canada where the blame is often placed on the patient, and this frequently leads to social isolation, delayed treatment, and less empathy from others. This stigma stems from the strong link to smoking. It often discourages people from seeking care, even though risk factors include radon, genetics, pollution, and many diagnosed patients (30 per cent) never smoked (LUNGNSPEI, 2022). Angus provided a voice for those who felt dismissed and diminished.
I spoke with Angus in June of this year to check in and talk about our summer plans. This is when he told me that he was running out of options to treat his lung cancer. There were no more lines of treatment left for him. I was heartbroken to hear that this was the case for him. A man that had given so much of himself and his time to push the needle forward for others and the system collectively had failed him.
This is why the patient voice is imperative in the decision-making process. It’s hearing stories like this that make you realize how important options are for patients to provide hope, time, and quality of life. This is why in health technology assessment (HTA) patient voice submissions we urge both Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA) and Institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS) to recommend reimbursement for multiple treatments for similar or identical indications. It’s not duplication. It’s life saving.
I hope that we all learn from Angus what it means to do good in this world. To make change for the better. Not just for us, but for those who follow in our footsteps. He taught me more than any book ever could and now every red hat is like a nod of encouragement from him to keep going.
Thank you, Angus.
Lindsay Timm
Executive Director, Canadian Cancer Survivor Network