Primary cancer prevention is on the agenda — ask for your MP’s support

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Health plans to study“Treatment and Prevention of Cancer”

The Answer to Cancer is Primary Prevention —
Stopping Cancer Before it Starts

When PCN was established in 2007, heart disease was Canada’s #1 cause of death. Today, more Canadians die from cancer than any other single cause, and aggressive cancers are developing ever-earlier in life.

We join scientists, physicians and families seeing the urgency to identify and address underlying cancer risk factors. While long-term Canadian data is lacking, we know that, similar to American data, cancer diagnoses and deaths are increasing, particularly at younger ages. Cancer incidence is also increasing in younger Canadians, with the highest rates among White and Indigenous populations.

Rates of cancer are lower among Immigrants, indicating the elevated carcinogenicity associated with life in Canada, and inadequacies of current regulatory processes. 

Costs associated with cancer screening, diagnoses, treatment and follow-up are unsustainable; lost wages are substantial; and patients’ and families’ pain and losses must not be under-estimated. We can’t afford not to prevent cancer!

Thankfully, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA) is planning to study Treatment and Prevention of Cancer. See Prevent Cancer Now‘s updated submission.

Here are some basics:

Screening is secondary prevention, hopefully averting the worst with earlier treatment.

Primary cancer prevention includes well-known advice regarding smoking, alcohol, exercise, sun exposure, healthy diet, etc. If this was enough, we’d not be seeing today’s deadly trends.

Ambitious primary prevention encompasses the healthiest solutions such as organic agriculture and an affordable, healthy food supply; and inherently safe, non-toxic, lower-energy ways to meet our needs. Primary prevention addresses root contributors to the disease process such as pollution, pesticides, wastes, tens of thousands of unnecessary toxic chemicals in commerce, plastics, and electromagnetic radiation. For any need, such as food, household products, transportation, communications, etc., the least-toxic, healthiest, most environmentally preferable solution is the option to put in place. Nature-based solutions are supported. These actions have many benefits, also supporting biodiversity and even blunting climate crises.

The HESA cancer study must proceed, with adequate resources.
Make primary cancer prevention the #1 priority.

You can help to make this a reality!

Take a few minutes to send an email to your Member of Parliament, asking them to support the HESA cancer study, including a focus on primary prevention.

Compose your own email, or you can complete and customize our “starter” email in any way you choose.

This email is copied to Ministers of Health, and Environment and Climate Change, as well as critics for other parties.

1. Add your MP’s email address in the “To” section.

Please consider copying or blind copying Prevent Cancer Now: info@preventcancernow.ca
This way we know what MPs are seeing. You can add or remove any recipients.

2. Add a catchy subject line.

If you’re not inspired with your own email subject, here are some ideas:

• The Answer to Cancer is PREVENTION — pls prioritize HESA cancer study
• Stop Cancer Before it Starts. Make HESA cancer study a #1 priority
• Prioritize PRIMARY PREVENTION in HESA cancer study

3. Body of your Letter

Use, edit or replace the text in the “starter” email. What matters is that you are writing to your Member of Parliament and sharing your concerns.

Add an Introduction

Share a bit about who you are and what is personally motivating you to write about the importance of primary cancer prevention

Main Points

The HESA study has to happen, soon.

It should:

• Include a strong focus on primary cancer prevention.
• Make recommendations to “make least toxic the norm,” including by supporting:
  • organic growing and healthy, and a healthy affordable food supply; and
  • improving regulation of personal and workplace exposures, and environmental agents, to restrict these to the least-toxic options.
• Promote data collection, so Canada can verify that risks of environmental agents are indeed “acceptable,” or maybe even “safe.” Today, inaction on toxic chemicals and technologies hinges on lack of evidence — neither of harm, nor safety. Data is not being collected systematically — of use, emissions or exposures to toxic agents, nor biomarkers of exposures.
• Measure what the government commits to managing: The introduction of novel agents into Canada, and the increasing exposures to them, should require commitments to data collection and broad access to FAIRER data.

Conclusion

Ask your MP what they are willing to do to support the HESA study moving forward. Tell them you are looking forward to their response and thank them for their follow up.

Be sure to include at least your postal code, or even your address, so the MP knows you are a constituent.

Next Steps

If you do not receive a response from your MP — CALL THEIR OFFICE.

When you do receive a response from your MP — WRITE TO THEM AGAIN, addressing their letter and reiterating your concerns and views. These second letters have a powerful impact in terms of how politicians assess the level of public concern about specific issues!

ASK FOR A MEETING. If your MP is interested in meeting, and you would like to include PCN, please email info@preventcancernow.ca with a meeting request.

THANK YOU for working to prevent cancer, and for a healthier world!