The co-signatories of this letter are the leaders of five provincial not-for-profit organizations, working directly with people with cancer and their loved ones. ​

Mr. Dubé,

On June 16, you and hundreds of others participated in a virtual gathering to join forces and raise our voices for the wider oncology community. We rallied our audience, comprised of our patients and their families as well as healthcare providers and officials, around the important role our organizations play in the entire trajectory of oncology.

Prevention and support are more essential than ever

Prevention has proved essential in the fight against this disease and must, now more than ever, be made a top priority. Furthermore, COVID-19 has shed more light on inequalities about health, particularly within ethnocultural communities. Similarly, support services of all kinds are central to providing support to patients and their loved ones as quickly as possible following diagnosis and, often, throughout their entire lives.

Our organizations offer local services that extend beyond care episodes and are available on the ground, in communities, and cooperation with the healthcare network.

Reinvention is needed more than ever

While the pandemic has caused delays on several levels in the healthcare network, it also showed that we can adapt and obtain significant results in a short period. We can no longer simply go back to “business as usual” before the pandemic.

Our organizations are known for their agility, and we have the creativity needed to actively contribute to the solutions to accelerate the catching-up process and promote innovation in healthcare and research. In this sense, we strive to improve access and relieve congestion in the healthcare network, among other things.

Promote lifesaving research

Research helps fight cancer through advancements in the prevention, detection, and treatment of the disease. We need to stand together to invest more in higher education and medical innovation, focusing on artificial intelligence and centralizing cancer data. We must build bridges between the various organizations involved in research and create closer ties between research and patients and their caregivers.

Our donors and funders make miracles happen. Imagine what we could accomplish if every dollar invested in research by our organizations were matched by the government. Investing in cancer research saves lives.

Take action to overcome the enormous challenges of cancer

The pandemic has no doubt confronted us with many challenges, but it has also taught us important lessons. We also know that the potential of our organizations, when united, is huge. Indeed, our involvement across the continuum and our close ties with healthcare providers, patients, caregivers, and researchers have given us clear insights into the priorities. We are powerful drivers of mobilization, and we are simply asking the government to take advantage of this in the best interest of cancer patients and their loved ones.

Let’s act together and prioritize people with cancer and their loved ones, in a renewed vision.

Watch the First Virtual Forum – Together in support of people with cancer and their loved ones (in French only)

Pascale Bouchard
Executive Director
Leucan

Marco Décelles
Director General
Quebec Cancer Foundation

Diego Mena
Vice President
Canadian Cancer Society

Manon Pepin
President and Chief Executive Officer
Cancer Research Society

Laurent Proulx
Chief Executive Officer
PROCURE – The Force Against Prostate Cancer

Take the time to visit each of our pages on this website, as well as our YouTube channel, in order to get familiar with the disease with our expert lectures, our section on available resources, the support that is offered to you.

Do you have any questions or concerns? Above all, do not hesitate. Contact us at 1 855 899-2873 to discuss with a nurse specializing in uro-oncology. It’s simple and free, like all our services.

Published by PROCURE. © All rights reserved – 2021