Topic: Advocacy

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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How to Beat Stage 4 Neuroendocrine Cancer

Published by on March 24, 2021 | Share your thoughts

“I’m just really grateful. Because I don’t think Korey would still be here if we weren’t involved with you.” That’s Erin talking about her husband, Korey, who went from a rare, complex stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer diagnosis to remission in less than a year. Sounds too good to be true, I know – but it’s not. This is the power of Precision Oncology. And it all started with Erin and Korey’s unshakable determination to advocate for better cancer care. 🧬 Erin found CTOAM after standard care had left Korey with no more options. She knew she had to find a way to get him the help he needed…and their three young kids needed her to stay strong. She refused to give up hope. So she...
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How to Beat Stage 4 Lung Cancer – Thomas’s Story

Published by on March 10, 2021 | Share your thoughts

“5 days ago I celebrated my 75th birthday…I want to celebrate my 90th for sure. And you are my hope.” – Thomas Thomas came to us after standard care told him there were no more options left for him. He’d been diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011…which soon escalated to stage 4 lung cancer. After a long road of chemo, he finally decided to take matters into his own hands. He had no choice. Our cancer expert, Alex Rolland, got him genetic testing and a far more accurate diagnosis than he’d ever received from standard care. Alex also gave Thomas and his oncologist some excellent targeted treatment recommendations, which they were able to access. Thomas is now getting those drugs covered through Pfizer’s compassionate care...
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Why is Standard Cancer Care Lacking?

Published by on January 27, 2021 2 Comments

Find Out Why Standard Cancer Care in Canada is Just Not Good Enough… I hear this all the time – and I bet it’s on your mind, too: “So is this what our medical plan has come to? People with money can afford better, faster cancer care than people with no money??” Yep.  And it’s sadly true…  For now. We’re working to change this at CTOAM. It is our #1 mission, in fact! But what we’ve learned over the past 10 years is… In order to create change, you also need to deal with the situation as it is now.  As in: you need to work within the current system AND outside of it. It’s the only way to actually build a better future. What...
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Why Cancer Advocacy is SO Crucial for Patients

Published by on December 9, 2020 3 Comments

A little background on cancer advocacy… Did you know that each month, there are over 1,000 new, peer-reviewed, validated studies published in the field of cancer care?   The biggest cancer conference in the world is currently the American Society of Clinical Oncologists’ annual conference (aka ASCO)… It is the ‘Royal Gala’ of the cancer world.  At this one conference alone, 5,600 new research papers on cancer were presented last year.  On top of that massive amount of information, there are an additional 250 cancer conferences worldwide each year – each of them presenting hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of studies. That’s at least 15,000 new studies released each year on cancer care, diagnosis and treatment. (And that’s using the most conservative estimate!) To break it down… ...
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Join our Facebook Group

Join our Cancer Advocacy and Education Facebook Group!

Published by on November 30, 2020 1 Comment

👉 Join our new Cancer Advocacy and Education Facebook group We can all agree: having cancer is really hard! When you get a diagnosis of cancer, everything – and nothing – changes.  I mean…life still goes on around you: you still need to pay the bills, weed the garden, make dinner, do the dishes and call your sister.  But inside, your life is forever changed. You will never again take life for granted.  You’re being forced to go on a mission you did not ask for, a journey you’d much prefer not to take. But here you are.  And while you might not be sure just what to do, you are sure that how you handle this next phase of your life – how you...
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Doctor

3 Genetic Tests Can Increase Your Life Expectancy by 80%!

Published by on November 18, 2020 | Share your thoughts

You’ve probably already heard about genetic tests for cancer. But did you know that when just one special type of genetic test is used in your cancer diagnosis your life expectancy increases by 30%? And did you know that when you add all 3 types of genetic tests to your diagnosis and treatment plan, your life expectancy increases by 80+% over standard care? Comprehensive Genetic Tests Are Key to Treatment Success With this leading-edge medical science, you and your oncologist can be certain that your diagnosis is accurate and that you’re getting the absolute best treatment for your cancer. Waste no time, leave nothing to chance. You should not feel like you’re in the dark about your cancer care! Demand certainty and don’t settle for...
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Better cancer care

Better Cancer Care: How to Get What You Need

Published by on October 28, 2020 1 Comment

“You get what you settle for.” You’ve probably heard that one before.  A good friend of mine told me this, many years ago, in relation to my dating life. I was seeing someone new and wasn’t sure if they were right for me…and my friend said, “well Michelle, you get what you settle for! So the question is: do you want to settle for him?”  I chewed on that for a while and eventually realized, yeah…I wasn’t going to settle for this particular man. And I’m so glad I didn’t!  Why am I telling you about my past dating woes?  Because “you get what you settle for” is true for many areas of life… Including cancer care.  Getting Better Cancer Care Requires Advocacy Standard cancer...
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Doctor and patient

What Questions Should You Ask Your Oncologist?

Published by on October 14, 2020 1 Comment

15 to 20 mins. That’s the average length your oncologist has to talk with you at your appointment.  No wonder they’re not able to tell you about ALL your treatment options. Nor ALL the diagnostics available.  Your oncologist’s day is full to the brim: they see, on average, over 50 patients per week! Plus meetings, rounds, and learning new standard protocols. They are exhausted. Between 47% to 74% of oncologists report burnout. 67% report exhaustion. Those numbers don’t exactly inspire confidence… Oncologists do not have time – even if they wanted – for personalized cancer research. Nor learning about all the NEW protocols beyond standard care. Not their fault; it’s just how public healthcare works. This means, unfortunately, that it’s your job to find out...
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