A truly global event taking place every year on 4 February, World Cancer Day unites the world’s population in the fight against cancer.
Together, #WeCanICan create awareness of #WorldCancerDay on February 4th!
Get to know some of the people in the fight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EGkPVLQvx0
A recent article from CanadianHealthPolicy.com has summarized Canada’s current Public Drug Plans.
The federal government and each of the provincial and territorial governments operate separate publicly funded prescription drug benefit plans within their jurisdiction. Previous research shows that the quality of drug benefits varies significantly between public drug plans. The quality of public insurance coverage for new drugs is an important policy issue because millions of Canadians are dependent on public drug plans for access to their prescription medications, and there are significant health and economic implications associated with access to pharmaceutical innovation. This annual study compares the quality of benefits under Canada’s public drug programs in terms of the number of new drugs approved for public insurance coverage; the time that patients must wait for publicly insured access to new drugs; and the scope of insured access (Full Benefit v. Special Access / other access).
Mark Rovere and Brett Skinner published a report comparing the quality and comprehensiveness of the different Canadian public drug plans. They looked at three metrics:
Highlights of findings:
– See more at: http://www.canadianhealthpolicy.com/products/coverage-for-new-medicines-in-canada—s-public-drug-plans–2015-.html#sthash.If9m8g5V.dpuf
When we think of sunshine and suntans, we usually think first of vacations. And while most of us, while on vacation, remember to apply sunscreen, we don’t always remember to do this at home. Rain, snow or shine, it’s always important to be sun safe. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, even though it is also one of the most preventable.
One in every three cancers diagnosed worldwide is a skin cancer, 80-90% of which are caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The most common sources of UV radiation on the skin are the sun and artificial tanning beds. Over 80,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in Canada each year, more than 5,000 of which are melanomas, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
Canadians born in the 1990s have two to three times higher lifetime risk of getting skin cancer (1 in 6) than those born in the late 1960s (1 in 20)[1]. There are more new cases of skin cancer each year than the number of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined!
Skin cancer is caused by overexposure of the skin to UV radiation, with the most common sources of UV radiation on the skin being the sun and artificial tanning beds.
In 2003 Kathleen Barnard, Founder and President of Save Your Skin Foundation Canada, was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. Growing up as an outdoor athlete and enthusiast, she spent countless hours outdoors in the sun. She was unaware of the hazards of the sun and how to protect herself from harmful UV rays. Kathy is now one of few advanced melanoma survivors in Canada, and has made it her mission, through the work of her Foundation, to make others aware of the dangers of the sun and tanning beds, and to educate and promote better awareness of sun safety.
The Save Your Skin Foundation is a national registered not-for profit organization dedicated to the areas of skin cancer and skin disease with a focus on education and awareness, supporting research and ensuring equal and timely access to treatment for all Canadians.
No tan is a safe tan. Enjoy the outdoors and the sunshine, but do it safely. More information can be found on the Save Your Skin Foundation website.
Quick Links:
The Facts – Skin Cancer & Melanoma
[1] Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation http://www.canadianskincancerfoundation.com/about-skin-cancer.html
Last year, Save Your Skin Foundation participated in the Patient Advocacy sessions at the European Cancer Congress in Vienna last September.
We thought our patient members might be interested to know that both the report and the videos are now available on the ECCO website. Videos include those of the patient advocacy track sessions as well as those of the patient perspectives given in the other scientific sessions.
http://www.ecco-org.eu/PatientsAdvocacy/European-Cancer-Congresses
That’s the forecast for this weekend in Whistler, British Columbia. Many people will be heading to Whistler this weekend to get in some skiing. Conditions on the mountains couldn’t be better and it’s a winter wonderland from Village to Peak at North America’s #1 ski resort.
The sun’s ultraviolet rays, however, are 2.5 times more dangerous in snow than on the beach and skiers should make sure to stay sun safe on the slopes. Snow reflects up to 80 percent of UV radiation, which means that your UV dose is close to double what it would be otherwise. (By comparison, grass, soil, and water reflect less than 10 percent; dry beach sand 15 percent; and sea foam 25 percent, according to this UV fact sheet from the World Health Organization.) On top of that, UV exposure also increases by approximately 10 percent for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
When you’re out on the hill, both snow and strong wind can wear away sunscreen and reduce its effectiveness, so you have to take extra precautions. To protect your skin from the cold, heavy winds and winter sun, follow these important sun safety tips:
So, attention all skiers! Have fun on the slopes and play sun safe!
Meaford, ON
In the spring of 2014, at 37 years old, I was diagnosed with Stage IIIB nodular melanoma. Over the course of six to eight months, a lifelong mole on my hip had grown, changed in colour, and become itchy. Being a busy working mother of eleven year-old twins, I neglected to have this mole looked at until my daughter insisted I show our doctor while in her office for a sore throat.
Two days later an excisional biopsy was performed and the pathology revealed a melanoma with Breslow depth of 12.5 mm, Clark level 5, and a relatively high rate of three mitoses per millimeter squared. The peripheral margins were quite close at 0.2 mm, however the deep margin was 6 mm. One week after finding melanoma in the mole, I had a sentinal node biopsy, revealing a further diagnosis of metastases. I still struggle to understand these terms, but I do know they have altered my life forever.
Within a month I had a right hip wide local excision to 2 cm margins, and a superficial and deep right groin lymphadenectomy, going home to be on strict bedrest for eight weeks. I had four of thirteen lymph nodes positive, therefore I received further treatment post-surgery, in the form of immunotherapy. I participated in a clinical trial at Sunnybrook in Toronto, receiving eight doses of ipilimumab over sixty-eight weeks; four treatments three weeks apart, and then four more treatments, each being three months apart, with the last one in September 2015.
I still have CT scans every six months to maintain surveillance on my melanoma. Although I am considered at high risk for recurrence, to date I am still clear and I am grateful to report that my life has resumed with hope and ambition. I am happy to share my story as it may help someone else feel less desperation in such a scary situation. Living with melanoma is not easy, but we are not alone.
813-800 Vista Park
Penticton BC V2A 0B2
Email: info@saveyourskin.ca
Phone: 1.800.460.5832
Charitable Reg. #857756589RR0001
