October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, an opportunity for us to collectively raise awareness and funding in support of a cure for the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women.
When we think about the past seven months of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the things that has moved us the most has been the impact that Ontarians from all walks of life can have when we work together to achieve positive societal change. When we work together, we are a force to be reckoned with.
One in eight Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among Canadian women, and the best way to fight this disease is by early detection.
Mammography screening is known to be costly for those who live in countries that don’t have access to publicly-funded health programs. In Ontario, we are fortunate to have the quality public healthcare system that we do, and the support of our highly skilled healthcare professionals. We must never stop fighting against the privatization of our healthcare services, so that every woman can have access the highest standard of care in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease.
This month, let’s show our support for this cause. Let’s donate our time and our resources to breast cancer research by walking, running, and participating safely in breast cancer awareness initiatives, because every woman’s life is important.
In solidarity,
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President
Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida, OPSEU First Vice-President/Treasurer