2024: Looking back on a year of action and progress in cancer care across Canada 

Showcasing the people and partnerships behind the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.

December 17, 2024

Year in review 2024

As the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (the Partnership) concludes another year of progress towards improved cancer outcomes in Canada, we wanted to highlight some of the important achievements, and the people behind it, that made 2024 memorable and successful.

People

Image featuring three advisors seated together and smiling: Lea Bill, the First Nations advisor, Lily Amagoalik, the Inuit advisor, and Susie Hooper, the Métis advisor. The advisors are framed by white and green color blocks. Overlaid text reads '3' in bold green, with smaller text below stating, 'First Nations, Inuit & Métis Advisors share their thoughts).

Advisors are at the heart of the work that we do – they are instrumental in helping us drive action towards the priorities of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control (the Strategy). In 2024, we expanded our advisory structure and welcomed three new First Nations, Inuit and Métis community health advisors.  

Advisors Lea Bill (First Nations), Lily Amagoalik (Inuit) and Susie Hooper (Métis) shared their thoughts on the significance of National Indigenous Peoples Day and the Partnership’s reconciliation journey. We also featured Clinical Advisors Dr. Sian Shuel and Dr. Christian Finley, and Patient Advisor Vinesha Ramasamy. 

Partnerships

A close-up of the face of Patient Advisor Vinesha Ramasamy looking warm and approachable with a neutral expression, her face is framed by white and dark color blocks. Overlaid text reads '10' in dark blue, with smaller text below stating, Number of funded partners featured in the Life After Cancer hub’.

The eight priorities outlined in the Strategy are the blueprint on which we plan and implement our collaborative work with partners. This year we unveiled new projects and updated initiatives such as the Life After Cancer hub; the Smoking Cessation in Cancer Care report; and updates to the reports on lung, cervical, colorectal and breast cancer screening programs, as well as the Models of Care toolkit. 

These priorities are supported by several enablers including the pan-Canadian Cancer Data Strategy which aims to close gaps in cancer data in Canada. 

Dr. Naheed Dosani, a palliative care physician at St. Michael’s Hospital at Unity Health Toronto, sits with his hands clasped in front of him. He is wearing jeans, a blue t-shirt, and a stethoscope draped around his neck. With a slight smile and a friendly, approachable demeanor, Dr. Dosani embodies compassion and care. The background features dark blue color blocks, with the number "23" in bold blue writing overlaid at the top left. Below, in smaller text, it reads: "Communities supported through the Improving Equity in Access to Palliative Care Collaborative."

We also continued to work with partners such as Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC) with whom we’ve undertaken groundbreaking initiatives like the Improving Equity in Access to Palliative Care and Paramedics and Palliative Care.  A recent journal article found that $2,773 was saved per call when paramedics provided care at home with 92% of patients reporting satisfaction with care received. 

Progress

An elderly Asian man and woman smile at each other, clearly enjoying the moment as they laugh together. The bright sunlight suggests they are outdoors, possibly at a park. Their joyful expressions reflect a shared, happy moment. The background features a white and red color block with the number "95%" in bold red, with the text "of cancer care settings across Canada now offering smoking cessation programs" in smaller text below.

When the Partnership began leading this pan-Canadian initiative to integrate evidence-based smoking cessation into cancer care across Canada, only two provinces were actively helping people with cancer quit smoking. Now, 95 per cent of cancer care settings provide support to people to quit smoking, compared to 56 per cent in 2017. 49 per cent of cancer care settings also offer culturally appropriate supports to First Nations, Inuit and Métis, compared to 18 per cent in 2018. 

With the help of partners and people across Canada, we will continue to drive action towards achieving the Strategy’s vision: a future in which fewer people develop cancer, more people survive cancer, people affected by cancer have a better quality of life and all people in Canada have equitable access to quality cancer care. 

On behalf of everyone here at the Partnership, we wish you happy holidays and good health for the new year!