The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services:

November Recognized as National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Mr. Speaker, November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to participate in Pancreatic Cancer Canada’s Purple Lights Campaign. For the next six days, we will flood Confederation Building with purple light, showing our support for the fight against pancreatic cancer and efforts in the province to raise awareness.

Pancreatic cancer is known as a “quiet killer” with a survival rate in the low single digits. As survival rates for other cancers have improved, pancreatic cancer has remained unchanged. There is a need to create more opportunities to fundraise for this disease and encourage research.

Through community partnerships and a strategic investment of $155 million since 2004, our government places considerable focus on the treatment and prevention of all cancers. Guided by our Provincial Cancer Control Strategy, we are committed to reducing the incidence and impact of cancer and improving the quality of life for those living with cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, we provide cancer screening through three key initiatives – the Breast Cancer Screening Program, the Cervical Cancer Screening Program, and the Colon Cancer Screening Program.

In recent years, we have expanded the Breast Screening Program to include women aged 40 to 49 who are referred to the program by their primary health care provider.

We also continue to expand the Colon Cancer Screening Program that was launched in Western Health last year and expanded to Central Health this year, with the long-term vision of a province-wide screening program by 2015.

In addition, through Budget 2013, we have continued to fund new cancer drug therapies through our cancer care program and the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Honourable Members and members of the public to help create further awareness around pancreatic cancer. Having a greater understanding and knowing the impact this disease has on the lives of those diagnosed and their families will help raise its profile and bring us that much closer to finding a cure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2013 11 25                                     1:50 p.m.