Ontario mayor pushed for access to pancreatic cancer treatment

An eastern Ontario mayor who aggressively campaigned for access to a pancreatic cancer treatment has died.

The municipality of Trent Hills says in a statement that Hector Macmillan died on Tuesday at his home in Campbellford.

Macmillan was denied OHIP funding to access a trial program for a procedure called Irreversible Electroporation — also known as Nanoknife — outside Canada, and did not mince words, accusing the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care of murdering him.

He ultimately raised money online to fund the surgery in Germany last year, and said afterward his prognosis was “five plus years.”

Following Macmillan’s highprofile push for access to the treatment, the University Health Network announced a clinical Nanoknife trial for pancreatic cancer patients, with up to $2.1 million in funding from the provincial government.

The minimally invasive treatment delivers an electric current to the tumour using two fine needles guided by ultrasound or CT scan, shrinking inoperable tumours without damaging surrounding tissues, which means it could be an option for patients who aren’t candidates for conventional treatment or for whom other treatments haven’t worked.

Trent Hills deputy mayor Robert Crate extended condolences to Macmillan’s wife, their children and their grandchildren.

“This is a great loss for his family and for Trent Hills,” Crate said in a statement. “Hector was larger than life when advocating for the municipality and the best interests of its citizens. Being mayor of Trent Hills was his passion and his calling.”