FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2025
St. John’s, NL – In a special two-hour live regional update, The Heather Cutler Foundation has announced the launch of its first patient-focused grant aimed at easing the financial burden on Canadians who must travel from remote and rural communities to urban cancer centres for treatment.
The new initiative, titled Port to Care, will provide $500 in travel relief to eligible Canadians living with pancreatic cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador. The grant is designed to address the growing inequities faced by those outside metro regions, where access to diagnostics, treatment options, and clinical trials remains severely limited.
“This is a modest first step, but a meaningful one,” said Christopher Cutler, Founder and Executive Director of The Heather Cutler Foundation. “Too many families are forced to choose between proximity to care and staying rooted in their communities. Port to Care aims to provide immediate relief in cases where no options exist locally.”
The Foundation also announced the beginning of its From Coast to Cure fundraising campaign, with the goal of launching a dedicated research grant in 2026. This grant will prioritize pancreatic cancer research led in and for Atlantic Canada, with a focus on early detection, rural healthcare delivery, and inclusive clinical trial access.
“We’ve seen a dangerous concentration of research investment in a few major cities while Atlantic Canadians are left behind,” Cutler said. “This grant will challenge that pattern and begin reversing decades of regional neglect in pancreatic cancer research.”
The live update also included a sweeping overview of the systemic barriers faced by Canadians living with pancreatic cancer in Atlantic provinces — from the near-absence of clinical trials in Newfoundland and Labrador, to inconsistent access to genetic and molecular testing, to the need for palliative care reform and earlier conversations around treatment options.
The Heather Cutler Foundation, based in Newfoundland and Labrador, has quickly emerged as a bold and disruptive voice in pancreatic cancer advocacy. With a focus on transparency, accountability, and lived experience, the Foundation is building a movement for policy change and equitable care from the ground up.
For more information about Port to Care, the From Coast to Cure research campaign, or the Foundation’s ongoing policy initiatives, visit www.heathercutler.ca or contact 1-888-854-8423.
Media Contact:
Christopher Cutler
Founder & Executive Director
The Heather Cutler Foundation
info@heathercutler.ca | 1-888-854-8423
