Canadian Cancer Advocacy Network

CCAN is a patient/survivor/stakeholder initiative formed to achieve a reduction in the burnded of cancer through collaborative advocacy for changes in public policy governing the full spectrum of cancer control including primary prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support services, palliative as well as paediatric cancers, based largely on the recommendations of CSCC.

CCAN's prime focus will be the promotion of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control, a description of which is enclosed. In addition, CCAN is interested in such thematic issues as research, human resource planning, surveillance, informatics and genetics. More detailed documents (priorities for action, synthesis report, working group reports, consultation conference proceedings) are available at www.cancercontrol.org. Specific patient-oriented issues will receive ongoing attention as well.

The big news about CCAN is that it represents the first time ever that all of the national cancer-site organization have joined forces to make certain that patients' interests are at the top of the national cancer agenda.

The Neutropenia Support Association Inc. is a member organization.

Goals

• Reduced incidence of cancer, mortality and morbidity;
• Increased quality of life for those living with, or recovering from, cancer;
• Equitable access to evident based cancer control interventions;
• Improved integration of cancer health care, from primary to palliative care;
• Rebalanced investments that sustain effective prevention, psychosocial/supportive and palliative care;
• Empowered patients; and
• Harmonization with provincial, territorial and federal health plans.

Priorities

• Establish mechanisms and improve capacity for collaborative guideline and standards development;
• Establish integrated prevention system;
• Improve resources and systems for delivery of supportive care/rehabilitation and palliative care;
• Establish human resource planning database and co-ordinated approach to planning; and
• Establish national priorities for strategic investments in cancer research.

This Network Is A Blueprint For Positive Change

• Without a new strategy, more Canadians will develop cancer;
• More Canadians will suffer throughout the course of their cancers; and
• More Canadians will die of cancer, than ever before.
• Non-integrated approaches will not maximize funding available.

The Five Priority Areas For CCAN Are:

• A new inter-provincial mechanism to develop evidence-based standards for diagnosis, treatment and care;
• Better psychosocial and supportive, rehabilitative and palliative care - no matter where Canadians live;
• A national comprehensive strategy for human resources in the cancer care field.
• Rebalanced research priorities;
• Greater emphasis on prevention of cancer.

Survivor/patient/advocate organizations created CCAN so that they could help ensure a national strategy for cancer control and have a legitimate voice in policy issues in this country. The members of CCAN believe that it has the potential to bring about the sustained, co-ordinated, comprehensive and collaborative national approach to cancer control that is needed to meet the challenges we face.

For more information contact:
CCAN at ccan@cancercontrol.org

Or call

Elizabeth Ostiguy
613-565-2522 ext. 303
Canadian Cancer Advocacy Network
P.O. Box 589, Station B,
Ottawa, ON K1P 5B7

www.ccanacc.ca

Other Canadian Cancer Advocacy Network Links:

CCCAN Strategic Plan Workshop
Ottawa, Feb. 28-29, 2004

CCAN/ACC - Who We Are