A recent study of women in Canada found that many had to travel more than 200 km (124.3 miles) to receive breast cancer treatment, according to the Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN).
The Ottawa-based advocacy group published the survey results in their winter 2005 newsletter (Network News, Winter 2005, Vol. 9:1, pp. 6-15). Nearly 500 women responded from every province and territory in Canada, both rural and urban. The survey was conducted in the winter and spring of 2004.
In addition to extensive distances, nearly half the respondents (49%) said that it sometimes took as long as 30 minutes to get to the hospital, even if it was close by. Anecdotally, one woman complained that parking at her urban hospital site was so expensive, she was forced to take public transportation despite feeling nauseated.
Another said that she had to undergo chemotherapy at one hospital, then travel to a second facility for radiotherapy. An Ontario woman said that she had to plan and pay for overnight trips to another city for radiation treatment sessions that were as short as 10 minutes.
Other parts of the survey dealt with access to treatment, the financial burden of cancer, employee insurance, time of work, and the emotional toll on family and friends.
The results were used to formulate questions for the national political parties during the 2004 federal election campaign. The election winner, the Liberal Party of Canada, stated that it had no plans to alter the benefit period for sickness benefits. They pointed out that of the 15 weeks of sickness benefits that Canadians are allotted, the majority of citizens only claimed 9.6 weeks.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
March 15, 2005
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