Topic: Advocacy

How Lisa Avoided Chemo…and Got the RIGHT Treatment!

Published by on July 28, 2021 | Share your thoughts

And how you may be able to avoid chemo, too… Seven years ago, Lisa’s life changed forever.  She and her husband were living on Vancouver Island in a lovely home they’d built together. They were living their middle-aged years in style… Playing music together, gardening, cooking, and heading out to the local jazz clubs for fun. Lisa worked as an assistant at a law firm – a job she enjoyed. Her office had an excellent work culture, which she appreciated. Life was good. Until Lisa found a lump in her breast, driving home from work one day. “I just got a shooting pain and put my hand there and felt it right away. There was no warning.” The next morning, she went to her doctor. ...
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Do You NEED to Spend Money on Cancer Care?

Published by on July 21, 2021 | Share your thoughts

Is it really, truly necessary to spend money on cancer care? Why can’t you get everything you need through public healthcare? And why aren’t the very best diagnostics and cancer treatments covered in Canada? If anything is a hot topic in cancer care, it’s THIS. 💰 And it makes me sad! In an ideal world, no one should need to think about money when it comes to their health… Especially with something as serious and challenging as cancer. It’s honestly really messed up that money plays a role in this. And yet… The lesson that I keep learning about healthcare is: We must deal with the reality of the way things are NOW, first, in order to have a chance at changing them in the...
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Watch our Free Cancer Advocacy Webinar

Published by on July 14, 2021 1 Comment

By now, you probably know that we love to empower cancer patients and their loved ones. It’s really, ultimately, what we do here at Cancer Treatment Options and Management (or, as we like to say, C-TOAM). That’s why I made this cancer advocacy webinar for you… It’s all about the realities of our healthcare system and how you can advocate for better cancer care. Plus, I pull back the curtain on our step-by-step roadmap for 7 new ways to beat cancer. This is the same system that CTOAM’s Research Scientist, Alex Rolland, has used to prepare treatment plans for oncologists at renowned treatment centres and hospitals all over the world! (Including The Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and MD Anderson.) I’ll show you how we do...
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Why Cancer Expert, Alex Rolland, Fights for YOU!

Published by on July 7, 2021 1 Comment

No matter how you slice it, cancer expert Alex Rolland is the reason that CTOAM exists. And it’s important that you know why. Because we’re doing something at CTOAM that literally no one else is doing.  It’s very outside-the-box. And it’s a wholehearted effort. Our team is driven by a passion that runs deeper than any of the daily challenges we encounter… A devotion to help cancer patients. And at the core of that devotion is Alex.  Uncovering the Realities of Standard Cancer Care Way back over 30 years ago, Alex started his cancer research career. He was completing his Ph.D Studies at one of the top cancer research facilities in North America – the British Columbia Cancer Agency and The Terry Fox Lab. Alex had first arrived...
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How to Avoid Cancer Treatment Regret – Connie’s Hard Lesson

Published by on June 9, 2021 1 Comment

Don’t regret your cancer treatment choices. Learn from Connie’s mistakes… I first spoke with Connie three years ago. Newly diagnosed with breast cancer, she wanted to make sure she was doing everything she could. She and her husband were terrified.  They lived in Ontario with their young daughter, Abigail. Connie was an orthodontist who prided herself on her work. Her husband worked for a big tech company, a job he also loved. But as steady and strong as Connie and her husband were, they were not at all prepared to deal with cancer…(after all, who is?!) In 2018, they heard those dreaded words: Connie had breast cancer.  Their peaceful life was turned upside down. After a good cry and some deep breaths, they did just the right thing –...
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How to Talk to Your Doctor About Precision Oncology

Published by on June 2, 2021 1 Comment

“How do I talk to my doctor about Precision Oncology?” We hear this a lot… So I wanted to give you something that might help: My team and I made this easy-to-read pamphlet specifically for this reason –  So patients could show their doctor… And start a conversation about getting better cancer care. Click here to get the pamphlet! My recommendation? Give this to your doctor and see what they say. If they have any questions or concerns, write them down, and then email them to me.  I’ll be happy to answer you back.  You can also invite your doctor to call me and my team if they’d like more information. Why is it SO important to start a conversation about Precision Oncology with your...
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My Personal Health Crisis

Published by on May 19, 2021 | Share your thoughts

CTOAM Co-Founder Michelle Morand shares her recent personal health crisis – and what cancer patients can learn from it. For three years, I’d been repeatedly visiting my doctor with the same complaint:  I was experiencing a lot of pain, plus the feeling of a mass, in my pelvic area. I had pap tests and x-rays and manual examinations… And each time the doctors told me it was nothing.  Eventually the pain got so bad that I just couldn’t stand to hear someone tell me it was ‘nothing’ anymore. So I finally took matters into my own hands: I shelled out $2,000 for a PET/CT scan to see what was actually going on inside of me… Within 48 hours I had the information I needed (or at...
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The Emotional Effects of Cancer: Part 2

Published by on April 21, 2021 | Share your thoughts

What are the emotional effects of cancer? Last week we talked about the first main way that cancer affects your mental health: the treatment you’re on, as well as your pain levels, can cause your hormones to fluctuate and make you feel more down than usual. But there’s good news – your hormones will even out again when the treatment stops and your pain decreases. Knowing this can help you to persevere and stay hopeful through the down times.  Today we’re going to cover the second main way that cancer affects your mental health… 2. The emotional effects of cancer and lack of control💡 The emotional effects of cancer are deep and broad. There are two obvious and immediate massive pieces that you are forced...
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Cancer research

What’s New in Cancer Research?

Published by on April 10, 2021 2 Comments

New Studies and Articles in Cancer Research Welcome to our ongoing list of new studies and articles published on cancer research. Explore the archive below to see which ones are useful to you and your doctor.  Diet and Exercise Intervention May Increase Efficacy of Chemotherapy in Pediatric Patients With Leukemia ASTRO Survey Explores Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Radiation Oncology Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Delivery of Breast Cancer Care in New York Statins Reduced Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Meta-analysis The COVID-19 Pandemic and Cancer Care for Older Patients in the United States: Effect on Diagnosis and Treatment Does Following a Mediterranean Diet Reduce the Risk of Disease Progression in Men on Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer? Fecal Microbiota Transplants May Help Patient...
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Suffering from Cancer Treatment Wait Times?

Published by on March 31, 2021 | Share your thoughts

You’re not alone. It’s true… 55% of cancer patients in Canada are experiencing treatment & testing delays these. A recent article by the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network reveals that even after cancer services have resumed, over half of cancer patients are still reporting that their treatment, tests, and appointments have been cancelled or postponed… “Respondents said they had to wait an average of 34 days to reschedule cancelled or postponed in-person appointments, and 52 days to reschedule surgery and other procedures.” As I have talked about many times before, the sad reality is…even without COVID, cancer treatment wait times are far too long to begin with. You know as well as I do – you need access to proper diagnostics and treatment, NOW.  You need...
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