Ovarian cancer research up for consideration in 2018 Federal Budget
January 24, 2018
Last year members of the community continued to step up advocacy efforts to draw attention to the need for ovarian cancer research funding. Many people met with their elected officials and wrote letters to urge support. But the call for $10 million in added investment from the federal government has yet to be answered.
“I have written to all my government representatives to ask for more funding. I even wrote to the Prime Minister personally with an appeal for more funding,” says Susan Wayne, a woman with Stage 4 ovarian cancer. “I got replies stating my concerns were passed on to the Minister of Health. What is the current status on this? Recently I've seen our government giving millions of dollars away. Is there not a mere $10 million for ovarian cancer research??”
Susan Wayne
Ovarian Cancer Canada is pressing on, making it easier than ever for concerned Canadians to voice their opinions on this important health issue while informing decision makers at every level of government on persistent challenges facing women who have been diagnosed and researchers striving for scientific progress.
When an invitation came to present to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance at consultations on priorities for the upcoming federal budget, we were ready.
“With no significant improvements to survival rates in five decades, research is the only way to ensure more women with this disease can live better and longer,” says Elisabeth Baugh, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada. “At the podium, I thought of all the women and families I’ve met over the last 20 years and in that moment I was both honoured and humbled to be speaking on their behalf.”
During her presentation, Elisabeth went into greater detail on the proposed investment in research. She explained the requested $10 million would need to be invested immediately to:
- Develop new research models
- Identify and prioritize new treatments
- Maximize enrollment in clinical trials
Over the course of pre-budget consultations, members of the Standing Committee heard a total 315 presentations and received 409 written briefs from individuals and organizations. As a result, 92 recommendations were submitted to the Minister of Finance for consideration in the 2018 Federal Budget.
The third recommendation focuses on ovarian cancer. It reads:
Invest in ovarian cancer research to advance a personalized medicine platform for this cancer and to reduce the five-year mortality rate associated with it.
“Slowly but surely, we are gaining ground,” says Elisabeth. “Never before has the community been closer to seeing such a significant research investment from the federal government.”
While the recommendation of the Standing Committee does not guarantee funding, it is definitely a step in the right direction.
At the Standing Committee meeting: Quebec Regional Director Jennifer Laliberté; Julie Poupart, Canadian Association for Neuroscience; MP Wayne Easter; Shawn McGuirk, Science and Policy Exchange; CEO Elisabeth Baugh
“This is very encouraging,” says Susan. “There’s always hope. We need to make sure the next generation, our daughters and our granddaughters, don’t have to go through this.”
It’s on this footing that thousands women and families affected by ovarian cancer are striding into 2018. The next federal budget is to be released in the coming weeks.
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