Programs serve cancer survivors

Re: “MUHC boss taking fresh look at cancelled patient programs” (Montreal Gazette, June 18)

During the past year, the Montreal Gazette has published articles about financial issues related to the McGill University Health Centre.

Amy Ma, co-president of the MUHC Central Users’ Committee, has been quoted as saying she finds it unacceptable that, at the same time, the MUHC has to do without the cancer survivorship program, thereby conflating budgetary issues with survivorship services.

This narrative has been repeated several times. In fact, however, the MUHC provides a number of services to cancer patients and survivors, including an award-winning cancer pain program (Prix québécois de cancérologie 2015 — Organisation des services), the only lymphedema program in Eastern Canada, an internationally recognized cancer rehabilitation program as well as one of the few supra-regional Level 4 supportive-care clinics in the province.

Our psychosocial oncology program offers emotional support to patients and families. The activities of many of these programs are supported by the generosity of the Cedars Cancer Foundation, the Louise and Alan Edwards Foundation, the MUHC Foundation and the MGH Foundation.

At no time have budgetary restrictions been a factor in providing or developing our survivorship programs. We continue to provide our patients with the most comprehensive services in the province.

Dr. Manuel Borod, director of the division of supportive and palliative care, and Dr. Armen Aprikian, chief oncology, MUHC