For the first time since COVID-19, CCSN held its traditional in-person Open House on February 2 to mark World Cancer Day. Jackie Manthorne, CCSN President & CEO, welcomed MPP Chandra Pasma, member of the Provincial Parliament for Ottawa West-Nepean, and Laine Johnson, College Ward City Councillor, and invited each of them to speak about the theme of World Cancer Day this year – Close the Care Gap!
CCSN was also pleased to welcome about thirty cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, and representatives of cancer organizations, including Al Carl, Chair of Prostate Cancer Support Ottawa; Tricia Ross, representing the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation; Jaime Corinaldi of Roche; Alicia Vianga, founder of After Breast Cancer; and representing the Board of Directors, Alex Chevrette, Assistant Treasurer, and Lauren Koshurba, Secretary.
Manthorne then spoke about World Cancer Day, reminding everyone that every year, globally, nearly 20 million people are diagnosed with cancer, and 10 million die from it. In Canada, an estimated 230,000 are diagnosed with cancer every year, and 85,000 die from it.
Closing the Care Gap means working toward equitable healthcare and cancer care for those living in low- and lower-middle income countries.
Closing the Care Gap means ensuring equitable cancer care for Canadians living in rural areas, indigenous peoples, immigrants, refugees, others whose first language is neither English nor French, LGBTQ2S+ citizens, those who are disabled, visible minorities, and those who live far from cancer screening and treatment centres who must travel for care.
Three days after CCSN’s last All-party Cancer Caucus in the Ontario Legislature, Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced that starting in fall 2024, breast screening would start at 40 instead of 50. But closing the care gap in Canada means making all cancer screening programs open to people of any age – no aging in for young people, no aging out for older people. Those of any age should be able to self-refer for screening.
Closing the care gap means ensuring that the 20 per cent of Canadians who do not have a family doctor should be able to access primary care, the gatekeeper for care when you need it!
And closing the care gap means not closing screening and postponing or cancelling appointments, tests, and treatments when – not if, but when – another pandemic or future natural disasters occur. CCSN commissioned five Leger surveys on COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Canada as part of CCSN’s Cancer Can’t Wait campaign. And as everyone know, cancer didn’t wait.
Manthorne urged everyone to take copies of the three Cancer Can’t Wait reports, available in English and French, adding that the title of the first report says it all: THROWN UNDER THE BUS. She then thanked MPP Chandra Pasma and City Councillor Laine Johnson for speaking, and Bridgehead for providing coffee and tea and invited everyone to stay for sandwiches and sweets.