On World Cancer Day this Sunday, advocates worldwide raise awareness for prevention and ongoing research. Manitoban Aimee Heroux, a breast cancer survivor, shares her story emphasizing the importance of early detection.
Heroux says she always knew she had a family history of breast cancer which led her to get regular breast MRIs. In 2021, when she was diagnosed she says she almost missed her appointment because of COVID.
“There was just this little voice inside of me that said, “You should go, what if you regret this?” Because I was thinking, what if I just go an extra year, I’ve had how many clean bills of health? But I just decided, no, I would just go and I’m glad I did because I didn’t feel anything,” she said,
Heroux was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer and had to undergo surgery as well as a round of radiation. She says nothing prepared her for how emotional the experience would be.
“Just worrying about my family knowing, and how they felt. And of course, it being a disease that my daughter could get.” she said.
Heroux is one of thousands who have benefitted from major strides in cancer research over the past few decades.
“Over the last 3 decades, half a million Canadians have avoided a cancer death. That is really quite impressive, in terms of the return on investment, if you will, on research.” said Dr. Fei-Fei Liu at the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research.
A report released earlier in the week by the World Health Organization predicts 35 million new cancer cases will be detected in 2050 which is 77 per cent more than in 2022 but Dr Liu believes research can change that trend.
“We can take all the sophisticated knowledge we have learned and all the tools that have been developed and really now focus on trying to understand why Canadians are developing cancer,” Liu said.
Heroux still takes medication and has regular scans but thanks to early detection her prognosis is good. She says she urges everyone to know their cancer risk and get screened often.
“Just make the appointment and go. Because had I waited, it would have been further, and I would have had more treatments, and maybe the outcome wouldn’t have been as positive,” she said.
— With files from Global’s Katherine Dornian
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