#nkwadcancerkick
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World Cancer Day: Together, We Can Finish It

February 4, 2025, marked a special World Cancer Day as the Terry Fox Foundation and the Terry Fox Research Institute unveiled their new brand “Finish It” and officially introduced the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN or The Network) as the roadmap to end cancer as we know it. This initiative—45 years in the making—unites Canada’s top researchers, clinicians, and patients in its collaboration to share clinical and genomic data. Leveraging advanced deep learning technology, The Network aims to provide personalized treatments based on each patient’s unique genomic profile and tumour DNA.

The brand promise is bold and clear: the end of cancer has never felt more within reach. Some patients are already experiencing success through the Network’s projects, and this nationwide collaboration is accelerating breakthroughs, expanding access, and making precision medicine available to more Canadians than ever. Oncology professionals and patients alike feel closer than ever to fulfilling Terry’s dream.

Terry Fox has long been a beacon of hope for cancer patients and a national hero who united Canada in 1980 and beyond. Few have been honoured as widely as he has—from receiving the Order of Canada to being commemorated on stamps, the Canadian passport, the Loonie, and soon, the $5 bill. His legacy lives on in the awareness he raised through his Marathon of Hope, immortalized in statues across the country and captured in countless books and documentaries. It’s impossible not to feel overwhelmed with emotion when I reflect on the small role I have been privileged to play in this bold and ambitious mission—one that is larger than life and save lives every day. The thought that I get to stand alongside the Fox family and the brilliant minds working tirelessly to bring Terry’s dream closer to reality fills me with an indescribable sense of honour, pride and gratitude.

I struggled to find the right words to express what I experienced during yesterday’s launch. The care that went into creating the “Finish It” short was truly remarkable. Knowing the Fox family worked with the main actor, who also had a leg amputation, to authentically capture Terry’s cadence as he neared the end of his run was incredibly moving. Watching the scene where 400 volunteer runners, ran up to and then ran passed Terry, symbolizing the “passing of the baton” to us to finish what he had started. For me, the emotional culmination of the event was the never-before-heard version of “Courage” by The Tragically Hip. For those unfamiliar with them, The Tragically Hip is an iconic Canadian band that formed in 1984 and continued to perform until 2016, even as their lead singer, Gord Downie, battled glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer. Gord Downie passed away in October 2017, making this collaboration even more poignant. The rendition of “Courage” stripped down to its essence, leaving only Gord’s powerful voice accompanied by beautifully played piano and subtle vocal support from two of his bandmates, created a haunting and beautiful atmosphere. Together, the short film and the song stirred a whirlwind of emotions within me—pride, fear, determination, and above all, a renewed commitment to “Finish It”—for Terry and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who face cancer every year.

You can watch the full brand launch event here and hear my thoughts on what I think the MOHCCN can do for Canadians.

Cancer has changed many aspects of my life, including my ability to work, but it hasn’t diminished my passion for improving cancer care or advocating for the importance of research. Though I can’t work due to my illness, I’m grateful for any support, whether it’s a kind word, sharing my message, buying me a coffee or sending me a small gift.

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Footnote 51: Using my voice for change

Over the past five years, I’ve gained a great deal of experience advocating for change with politicians. But this year, for the first time, I truly felt that my voice was heard—and today, I saw firsthand how it can make a tangible difference.

In my previous post, I shared that I submitted two briefs to the House of Commons Standing Committee. The first was in January 2024, where I detailed how the 2018 Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines failed me. I explained the physical, emotional, and financial toll it took on me and my family, and concluded by proposing two key changes I hoped to see in the updated 2024 guidelines. In June, I submitted my second brief, focused on specific concerns with the proposed updates, offering practical recommendations to address them.

Today, the Standing Committee on Health—composed of twelve MPs from the three major national parties, along with representatives from the Bloc Québécois—presented their report to the House of Commons, titled Saving More Lives: Improving Guidance, Increasing Access, and Achieving Better Outcomes in Breast Cancer Screening. I was very excited to see my name in footnotes 51 and 88.

While the report doesn’t fully address all of my concerns, it does tackle many of them. As an individual patient, it’s encouraging to see that my voice has contributed to this shift. However, the report is only as meaningful as the actions that follow. It’s now up to the government to implement the changes outlined within it.

If we want to see real change, we must continue to advocate—not just for ourselves or for those who will be diagnosed with cancer in the future, but also to honour those who have paved the way but are no longer with us. Their efforts, too, deserve to be recognized and carried forward.

Together, we can make change happen.

I really appreciate the time you have taken to read my blog. If you think my advocacy or blog are helpful, feel free to send a little holiday cheer my way by buying me a coffee or helping out with my uninsured medical expenses.