News

(Kenora, Ontario – August 25, 2022) With much anticipation, on August 24, Grand Council Treaty #3 celebrated the launch of their Cancer Survivorship Campaign.

“The Cancer Survivorship Campaign was created to bring awareness to key types of cancer that currently impact Treaty #3 communities,” explains Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh “More importantly, this campaign shares the message that people do survive cancer, especially if it is caught in the early stages.”

This collaborative campaign involved partnering with the North West Regional Cancer Program at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), and with videos directed and filmed by Upriver Media. The campaign features the stories of three Treaty #3 survivors who share their lived experiences with prostate, colon and breast cancer. The videos focus on the survivors’ story while also educating viewers about provincial, organized screening tests for breast and colon cancer.

(Left to Right: Alessia Borgo, Donald Copenace, Derek Kelly, Kristen Wahsquonaikezhik, Shelley Skye, David McConell, Susan Bale and Caitlund Davidson)

“In many First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario, cancer is often not found early enough. We are pleased to work with Treaty #3 to help share these stories and experiences to promote the importance of cancer awareness, screening and survivorship in First Nation communities,” says David McConnell, Director of Regional Cancer Care at TBRHSC.

The main theme of this campaign – ‘Cancer affects us all’ – is a strong and supportive message that reminds us that cancer is not a journey we have to face alone, that there are others going through similar experiences. The campaign also highlights the importance of caregivers and community along the cancer journey.

The videos can be viewed at www.gct3.ca/cancersurvivorship.

Grand Council Treaty #3 continues to advocate and support efforts to address health outcomes and lessen the burden of cancer within Treaty #3 communities. As such, this campaign will be shared with Treaty #3 communities and broadly across the North West region.

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For more information please contact:
Shelley Skye, Provincial Health Policy Analyst
Grand Council Treaty #3
Email: ahws@treaty3.ca
Phone: (807) 464-5572

PDF – August 25 2022 – Treaty #3 Launches Cancer Survivorship Campaign