2024-02-04 05:00:00
Cancer is expensive. The mental, emotional and physical devastation it causes is felt from the moment of diagnosis. Cancer can cost us our freedom, even if only temporarily, as the dreams we have for the future are put on hold.
We could lose an organ, our breasts and even our hair. Our reproductive health, intimacy and social connections could be affected. This disease claims the lives of too many people.
As if that wasn’t enough, cancer has financial repercussions. Even though Canada offers universal health care, many people pay out-of-pocket for products and services that can save or improve their lives. These expenses may include tests, medications, prosthetics, assistive products, caregiver services and travel expenses.
Financial repercussions
These costs hurt, especially in the current economic environment. No one is prepared for cancer, and the majority of people certainly do not budget for this disease. When a diagnosis is made, the financial repercussions are enormous. Studies show that a person with cancer in Canada must pay $260 to $550 per month out of pocket. According to a recent Angus Reid survey, 90% of respondents say a sudden cancer diagnosis would impact their household finances, and 30% say they would have to go into debt to be able to afford the costs associated with a such diagnosis.
On this World Cancer Day, the International Union Against Cancer’s mission is to make cancer care fairer. It is said that our life or death depends on who we are and where we live. Canada is not spared. Cancer disproportionately affects underserved communities, and marginalized people feel the financial burden of the disease most heavily.
Mobilisation
How can we change things? We all need to mobilize. Governments must put in place policies that reduce the financial burden of cancer. Charities need to step in to provide support that would otherwise not be offered. Employers must ensure the health and well-being of their employees. People who have greater financial security should lend a hand. We all need to look out for those in need in our community, because one day it might be our turn.
We cannot face life’s great challenges alone. It takes a company.
If you would like to contribute, know that there are a thousand and one ways to get involved. You can donate to a charity that works to make life easier for people facing financial difficulties due to their diagnosis. You can volunteer and help people get essential services at no cost, such as driving them to their treatments. You can lend a hand to someone you know who has been diagnosed. If you want the system to change, speak up. Sign the letter to the government on the cancer.ca website and show that there is an entire community that cares about cancer and expects better.
The cost of cancer is already high enough. Let’s make the financial aspect one less source of worry.
Andrea Seale, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society
1707024270
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