The Heather Cutler Foundation Petitions House of Commons, Calling for Urgent Pancreatic Cancer Reforms
The Heather Cutler Foundation’s petition highlights interprovincial disparities in access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, and urges the federal government to address these gaps.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Heather Cutler Foundation Submits Petition to the House of Commons, Calling for Urgent Pancreatic Cancer Reforms
Mount Pearl, NL, October 15, 2024 – The Heather Cutler Foundation has officially submitted petition e-5186 to the House of Commons, addressing critical gaps in Canada’s pancreatic cancer treatment and care. The petition, which is now pending authorization by Health Minister Mark Holland, seeks to improve survival rates for one of Canada’s deadliest cancers by calling for streamlined access to treatments, better clinical trial availability, and the establishment of national guidelines for somatic testing.
Pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of just 10% in Canada, a figure that has stagnated for two decades. The Heather Cutler Foundation’s petition highlights interprovincial disparities in access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, and urges the federal government to address these gaps. A key ask is the implementation of a unified national framework which includes both genetic and somatic testing, which could dramatically improve patient outcomes by matching patients with targeted therapies and clinical trials based on their tumor’s molecular profile.
“Despite advances that are happening in precision medicine, many Canadians are facing the reality that they’re living in a country where their outcomes are dictated by their postal code. That’s why it’s so important for the Canadian government to commit to supporting initiatives like the CRAFT framework, and Health Canada's clinical trial modernization to support long-term change--but also in the meantime to develop strategies for those that need solutions, now.” said Christopher Cutler, Founder of The Heather Cutler Foundation. “Our petition seeks to change that by pushing for timely approval of treatments and greater equity in cancer care across the country.”
The petition also addresses the delay in funding for critical drugs such as Onivyde, a chemotherapy treatment that has been approved in other countries but remains inaccessible to many Canadians due to prolonged negotiations by the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA).
Call to Action 📢
The Heather Cutler Foundation urges all Canadians to support the petition by sharing it on Change.org. Once the petition is authorized and published, citizens will be able to sign it directly through the House of Commons e-petitions platform. The foundation remains dedicated to advocating for policies that ensure better access to pancreatic cancer treatment and improved survival rates across the country.
For more information on the petition, please visit https://change.org/TeamHeather.
Media Contact:
Christopher Cutler
Founder, The Heather Cutler Foundation
Phone: (647) 221-6247
Email: [email protected]
About The Heather Cutler Foundation:
Founded in memory of Heather Cutler, a dedicated nurse and pancreatic cancer patient, the foundation is committed to advocating for improved cancer care and awareness. The foundation seeks to bridge gaps in treatment access and promote self-advocacy among pancreatic cancer patients in Canada.
