The Aboriginal Cancer Care Unit at Cancer Care Ontario works to improve cancer care for First Nations, Métis and Inuit people and enhance access to culturally sensitive cancer services, support, and health education. The overall rate for new cancer cases in Ontario’s First Nations communities nearly doubled between 1968 and 2001. While cancer incidence rates for two of the most common cancers, breast and prostate, are still significantly lower for First Nations people, incidence rates for lung and colorectal cancer have risen to meet or exceed overall rates for Ontario.

Aboriginal programs at Cancer Care Ontario

The Aboriginal Cancer Care Unit has created a number of programs to combat the growing rates of cancer amongst the province’s Aboriginal people:

• Aboriginal Cancer Strategy – Following a culture-based belief in the tight interconnection between the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of life, the Aboriginal Cancer Strategy promotes a holistic approach to cancer education, prevention, screening and research.
  
  Find out more about the Aboriginal Cancer Strategy


• Aboriginal Tobacco Program – This strategy works with communities and stakeholders to reduce commercial tobacco use and prevent the misuse of traditional tobacco.
  
  Find out more about the Aboriginal Tobacco Program


• Let’s take a stand against… colorectal cancer! – Launched in Fall 2008, this initiative uses culturally relevant messages and tools to build capacity and understanding within Aboriginal communities about cancer prevention and screening, raise awareness about colorectal cancer, and inform health care service providers about ColonCancerCheck, the province’s colorectal cancer screening program.
  
  Find out more about the Let’s take a stand against…colorectal cancer! initiative