New Cancer Research Projects to Receive Government of Canada Funding

[David Baxter PhD]

New Cancer Research Projects to Receive Government of Canada Funding
Government of Canada
Feb 4, 2015

Research indicates that 2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime, and 1 in 4 Canadians will die from cancer. Despite improved detection and prevention measures, cancer incidence is climbing with 191,300 new cancer diagnoses in 2014. Canadians living with cancer and cancer survivors require significant support and ongoing health care.

As the major federal funder of health research in the country and one of the leading cancer research funders in Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has a role in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the health research enterprise. CIHR support this enterprise by investing in research based on internationally accepted standards of excellence, through both an open stream and through the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (CIHR-ICR).

The CIHR-ICR supports research that reduces the burden of cancer on individuals and families through initiatives that span the cancer care continuum from prevention, early relevant screening, precise diagnosis and effective and safe treatments to improving the quality of life for patients and survivors.

On February 4, Minister Ambrose announced funding of over $56M from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to support innovative cancer research projects that will be led by scientists across Canada. The 77 funded projects will be carried out over three to five years and exemplify CIHR's comprehensive approach to funding health research.

Funded projects address the full spectrum of cancer research - from genetics to access to health services to prevention and diagnosis. The projects are an example of the outstanding work being carried out by the brightest health researchers across the country with support from the Government of Canada.

For more information about projects supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, please visit the CIHR website.

Links:
Cancer information
CIHR-supported cancer researchers

 

[adaptive1]

I am not doing too well mentally since my cancer diagnosis, even though my doctor said she is optimistic and that it is a slow growing cancer, its been ten days now and I still feel in shock and that I can barely concentrate on anything. My mind is my biggest obstacle, generating all kind of fearful thoughts and I am scared of having surgery. It is three more weeks until my surgery and the waiting is very hard. I met for my pre op appointment and I didn't even understand what the doctor was saying and I don't know how to make the time pass faster and I just want this to be all behind me.

i am trying to be upbeat and positive and do all the right things, but its so stressful for an anxiety case like myself. I keep crying on and off but then i can snap myself out of it but I just feel like every twinge my body has means something is wrong.

How can I cope with waiting for the treatment to begin?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

First, your reaction is very normal, I think. Hearing those words, I think the first reaction for most of us is that we're doomed. But they have made huge advances in both Cancer surgery and in Cancer therapy.

Call your oncologist or Cancer Center and ask for an appointment with one of the oncology social workers. Talk to your doctor about your anxiety and perhaps some medication to help you through the next few weeks.

Also, I found I didn't remember half of what my doctors told me. Take along s notebook and a loved one to your appointments if you can. I found that very helpful.


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[PrincessX]

I hope some psychologists advocate some of the funding to be used for mental health support for patients and their families. Now, the funded services are very limited. Many families suffer silently and the majority can not afford the additional costs for therapy, which could be detrimental for their ability to cope and even for the successful treatment of oncology patients. I believe, psychotherapy should be covered in these cases. A big part of the fight with cancer is mental. I don't understand why these people have no access to mental health services, other than psychiatric.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Although I haven't made use of them personally, I know that there are social workers attached to the cancer Centre and as far as I know there is no charge to see them.


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[adaptive1]

Thanks Dr Baxter, I know you have been there as have many others...I have to say until I went through this myself, I had no idea how stressful it would be waiting for treatment. I really hope that in the long run I can take this experience and have it be something positive.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Me too! [emoji106]


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[PrincessX]

Sorry adaptive, I didn't see your message earlier and didn't acknowledge it.
Yes, there are social workers at the centers. They can assist with financial, housing and discharge concerns, as well as with some assessments. So far, in my work and personal experience I have not seen a social worker providing free counceling or psychotherapy. I don't think that my experience is unusual. Just wanted to share that overall there is limited support available to families and coping with cancer diagnosis is never easy, especially for young families with little children.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

You are probably correct but no harm in seeing what help there might be. I agree that mental health support and caregiver support is woefully limited in this province.


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[adaptive1]

Only a few more days until my surgery, I am strangely calm considering how much of an obsessional thinker I am. I wonder if our brains can take over some times to protect us, it's weird how little anxiety I feel about the surgery and I had major anxiety up to about a few days ago. I have this calming feeling that everything is going to be fine. I hope so anyway, if they got this at an early stage the stats are very positive.

 

[forgetmenot]

YOur mind does have a way of protecting you hun so i am glad you are calmer now It is a good idea to take someone with you or to have a note pad with you because your mind just is not present really If caught at an early stage you can and will get better. I do hope that both you and Dr Baxter continue to work with the nurses the social workers and doctor to get the best care you deserve. Sometimes the nurses can explain more clearly to you what will be happening they talk to you without all the medical terminology

Have you both in my prayers

 

[MHealthJo]

I'm so glad for you Adaptive that you are feeling calmer and quite positive.

It is strange, I have sometimes after high anxiety had a point where it seemed like maybe my nervous system just couldn't keep it up anymore or something, and a sense of more calmness did come, and different ways of thinking did come in. Really glad that this bit of a switch happened for you, and will be thinking of you as you go along on the day and afterwards too.

 

[adaptive1]

This past thirty days has been a whirlwind from being diagnosed with cancer and now my surgery is over and im out of the hospital and recovering and waiting for my pathology reports for staging to determine what if any further treatment is needed. The hospital stay like most hospital stays was not pleasant and im glad to be home. The surgery went well and they took out everything. The pelvic washing showed no cancer anywhere else so that's encouraging. Then I find out my cancer is a genetic mutation likely lynch syndrome and that explains all the other cancer in my family and that I may develop more cancer because of this syndrome.

I feel traumatized a little by the hospital stay, they put me in the same room as a woman who was pregnant and they had a machine that played the baby heartbeat and having had an hysterectomy for cancer, I will never have kids. It made me cry every time, and although I had not really planned on having kids it felt like a cruel reminder to me every time they played the sound of the baby. Then when I was upset the nurse demanded I tell her what the problem was and I just wanted to be alone and not talk about it, but they kept pursuing it which made me cry more. Then they wrote that I was really upset in my medical charts and my doctor saw it and was looking at me like I was unstable.

The entire experience has been very exhausting and its still hard to believe this happened.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I empathize and sympathize, adaptive1. Cancer surgery is s life changing experience at a minimum.


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[forgetmenot]

Sorry the medical team did not have the insight to not put you in a room with a women having a baby dam Your doctor should have been more observant as to why you were so upset hell and the n urses as well. Why could they not pick up on that but it is ok you cry releasing those tears will help you.

I am glad the surgery is over and there is no evidence of further cancer cells thanks for letting us know adaptive1

Hope you can rest now in your own home and i hope that you have people surrounding you that care for you that can give you the emotional support you need Glad you are home hugs to you