Advocacy
Driving change and closing gaps in breast cancer care.
Want to be a changemaker? Turn your passion into action and advocate with us.
Younger women have long been overlooked in research, policy and care. We rethink the status quo alongside them, ensuring our advocacy addresses the most pressing needs, making real change where it’s needed most.
Our Key Advocacy Priorities
Improving cancer data
We lack critical information about who is impacted by breast cancer in Canada. We’re calling for more complete data on metastatic recurrence, race and other factors within the social determinants of health so we can better tailor care and support for the breast cancer community.
Current movements:
#MakeMeCount
Advocating for complete and harmonized breast cancer data in Canada.
Improving drug access
Younger women living with breast cancer face too many barriers in accessing life-saving treatments simply because of factors like age, postal code and bureaucratic process. It needs to change and we’ve been working to streamline processes and improve access for younger women for 10+ years.
Current movements:
Break Through the Bullsh*t
Advocating for reduced barriers to drug access for people diagnosed with breast cancer.
#BitterestPill
Advocating for equal access to take home (oral) cancer drugs for those under 65 in Ontario.
Ongoing Drug Access Advocacy
Advocacy Wins
MBC in the Dark
Background
June 2018 | The lack of clear communication around drug access decisions has left women with MBC facing uncertainty during an already critical time.
By mobilizing more than 10,000 petition signatures and directly engaging government officials, the #MBCintheDark campaign received a response from the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA), the body responsible for negotiating drug funding across Canada.
The Win
The pCPA publicly acknowledged the need for improved transparency and committed to sharing clearer information about drug review and negotiation timelines.
This included the development of Brand Process Guidelines designed to help the public better understand how funding decisions are made and where drugs are in the process.
Oncotype DX Test Funding
Background
April 2016 | Rethink called on provinces to fund a diagnostic test called Oncotype Dx.
Oncotype Dx helps identify which women with early-stage, estrogen-receptor positive and lymph-node-negative breast cancer are more likely to benefit from adding chemotherapy to their hormonal treatment. This test also helps assess the likelihood of recurrence.
The Win
Our advocacy successfully helped secure public funding for Oncotype DX testing in Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia, making this important test more accessible and affordable for women diagnosed with breast cancer in these provinces.
As a result, oncologists and patients can make more informed and personalized treatment decisions.
LEARN MORE
Deconstructing Breast Reconstruction
Background
December 2013 | Rethink met with the Minister of Health in Ontario to address the lengthy wait-times for women who are at high risk of developing breast cancer and choose prophylactic mastectomies.
The Win
Since that meeting, The Breast Reconstruction Working Group and Expert Panel at Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) was commissioned to examine this issue and advise on best practices. This information will help inform CCO and the Ministry on the needs for related services, and address recommendations for the optimal delivery of breast cancer reconstruction services in the province of Ontario.
Want to advocate?
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