Cancer is and will continue to be one of the top health concerns for Canadians as our health systems rebuild to support the post-Covid era.
Did you know that 90% of Canadians with cancer are aged 50 or older?
CARP, under the auspices of the Ottawa chapter and their past Chair Rick Baker, has been working closely over the last four years with a number of partners, including Lung Cancer Canada on behalf of persons affected by Cancer. Advocates have worked hard to inform the respective political parties about the importance of cancer care and the requirement for suitable funding to support research, surgery, cancer screenings and appointments, and treatments.
While cancer care has always been a priority, Ontario’s health system has been severely impacted by the pandemic, creating many backlogs, including for cancer care. A CARP survey found that 25% had cancer treatments or surgery delayed during the pandemic and 60% are worried that delays will impact their outcomes.
CARP argues that governments can seize the opportunity to rebuild a stronger cancer system.
- Implement catch-up plans to quickly address cancer care backlogs and vaccinate children who missed their routine immunization, including for HPV
- Allocate more financial resources to support these catch-up plans and meet the future needs of cancer patients given the aging population and associated increased cancer incidence
- Facilitate timely access to cancer treatments, including immunotherapies that have become the fourth pillar of cancer care alongside surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy
Read more about CARP and fighting cancer
