It’s been over twenty years.
This year, 7,100 Canadians will find they have a cancer whose survival rate hasn’t budged in twenty years. 90% of them will be told it’s too late and advised to get their affairs in order.
Pancreatic Cancer in Canada✍️ We're Rewriting the Playbook on Pancreatic Cancer Advocacy in Canada.
Inspired by Heather—a registered nurse who dedicated over 35 years to her community—our foundation is built on her journey from caregiver to patient. As a family, we know families from smaller provinces hit barriers at every turn, from accessing crucial tools like somatic testing to joining clinical trials that improve outcomes. Invisible borders and postal codes in Canada decide who gets a chance to fight. Pancreatic cancer doesn’t discriminate, and Canada’s healthcare system shouldn’t either.
We’re not bogged down by bureaucracy; we’re here to work for real change for Canadians with pancreatic cancer. This isn’t about broad promises—it’s about mobilizing public support, calling on government leaders and taking action to demand better care. Our approach is clear: we’re putting faces, not statistics, forward.
From our founding, our incorporation as a federal non-profit, to joining hands with the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition, Team Heather has raised over $14,000 for pancreatic cancer research through Craig’s Cause #KickingPancreAS fundraiser, and our petition for cancer care reform has gathered over 800 signatures. Now, with the support of some of the world’s strongest voices, we’re more determined than ever to take this fight forward.
Key Areas of Focus
National Guidelines for Pancreatic Cancer Care
So every Canadian with pancreatic cancer has access to essential molecular profiling, improving outcomes and guiding targeted treatment.
Expanded Clinical Trial Access
To ensure that Canadians in all provinces can participate in precision medicine focused trials, without leaving their family's at home.
Drug Approval Transparency
So Canadians aren't left waiting—timely access to effective, approved treatments can mean more time and better quality of life.
Meet Heather, and the Family Behind Heather Cutler Foundation.
This publication is in loving memory of the late Heather Cutler and her two-year battle with Pancreatic Cancer that brought her from the small province of Newfoundland, to the top minds in Pancreatic Cancer research at Johns Hopkins. Read first-hand accounts from Heather’s family.
Discover Heather’s Journey
Resource Hub
Demystify and familiarize yourself with the wave of medical jargon coming your way with our easy-to-understand Glossary of Pancreatic Cancer Terminology. Explore the symptoms and risk factors. Take a closer look at some of the treatment options, testing and diagnosis.
Access Resources
Connect with support
Access our directory of support services available to Canadians at the provincial, federal and international level. These services range from palliative care, peer support programs, and mental health supports to financial support programs available in Canada.
Explore Resources
Learn How to Advocate
You are not the period at the end of your diagnosis. Our advocacy began with our mother, Heather. Through persistence, we secured somatic testing at Eastern Health. After launching a petition on Change.org, e-5186 is now published and open for signatures on OurCommons.ca—proving the power of advocacy. Learn the questions to ask, the knowledge to empower yourself, and how to push forward when the system pushes back.
Find your voice
Newsroom
Stay up-to-date with The Heather Cutler Foundation’s latest initiatives. Our Newsroom features press releases on advocacy actions and fundraising efforts, including participation in events like Kicking PancreAS with Craig’s Cause. Follow our journey as we raise awareness, engage communities, and drive meaningful change to improve pancreatic cancer care across Canada.
THFC Newsroom
Team Heather on Apple Podcasts
Listen Now