Longtime Trent Hills Mayor Hector Macmillan was remembered as a fighter during a celebration of life ceremony in Campbellford, Ont., on Saturday.
Macmillan died Oct. 10 at the age of 59 after a lengthy and public battle with cancer. More than 300 family, friends and dignitaries gathered at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church to reflect on his career, for those he served and those battling cancer.
His battle with pancreatic cancer made national headlines when he challenged the province to fund a treatment known as the NanoKnife procedure.
“Being mayor and warden gave him a platform,” said former Trent Hills CAO Mike Rutter.
“But I think his biggest contribution was around the cancer and taking on the bureaucracy and actually forcing change and I think that was his biggest contribution and forcing change.”
Nepean—Carleton MPP Lisa Macleod told the congregation she witnessed Macmillan’s passion and conviction first-hand as he fought to have his cancer treatment covered by OHIP. After it was denied, he continued to push for change.
“I know for a fact there are bureaucrats at OHIP that are still scared of him and probably some people in the Ministry of Health,” said Macleod.
“But he pushed the envelope not only for himself, but for cancer patients not just in Ontario but across the country of Canada.”
Macmillan was in municipal politics for more than 13 years but many at the service agree it was his final fight with cancer that was his greatest accomplishment.
“One thing was clear he was not going to give up as one cancer doctor suggested we do,” said Macmillan’s sister Jillian Koplo.
“Hec being Hec realized he wasn’t the only one who had to fight for the health care we as Canadians take as our right. So he immediately started to figure out a way to get this treatment to all the others who could benefit from it.”
Macmillan eventually received his NanoKnife treatment in Germany in October 2016, thanks in large part to extensive community fundraising. He credits it for helping prolong his life.
Since his fight with the Ministry of Health, the NanoKnife procedure is available to some cancer patients in Ontario with clinical trials underway.