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B.C. residents feel underprepared to deal with breast cancer: new survey

As an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the vital role of research, Breast Cancer Canada encourages British Columbia to “Know more.”
Breast cancer survey
Approximately 28,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Despite this pervasive disease, 87 per cent of B.C. residents diagnosed with breast cancer felt unprepared when they or a loved one received their diagnosis. This is according to The Know More Breast Cancer survey.

Approximately 28,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Despite this pervasive disease, 87 per cent of B.C. residents diagnosed with breast cancer felt unprepared when they or a loved one received their diagnosis. This is according to The Know More Breast Cancer survey.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of B.C. women feel that they have more to learn about breast cancer and how it could affect them.

On a positive note, two-thirds of B.C. residents (65%) feel that their doctors are informed with the best or latest treatment information and 58 per cent feel they have experienced the best and latest cancer treatment available, either personally or someone they know.

Increasing our understanding of breast cancer research starts with making information more accessible. 83 per cent of British Columbians were unable to even provide an approximate guess when asked how many known types of breast cancer – astonishingly, there are over 50 types.

“Any cancer diagnosis feels earth-shattering. We are committed to demystifying research and information so that people feel less afraid when they, or a loved one, receives an unexpected diagnosis,” said Kimberly Carson, CEO of Breast Cancer Canada. “Given that one-in-eight women in Canada will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, the results from our Angus Reid poll were shocking to see.

“We conducted this survey to get a benchmark of Canadian’s knowledge and awareness of breast cancer and clearly there is an opportunity for Canadians to know more about the disease that affects us all.”

As an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the vital role of research, Breast Cancer Canada encourages British Columbia to “Know more.”

Breast Cancer Canada is funding a new era of research that presents knowledge in a meaningful and fresh way, making lifesaving information both inspiring and accessible.

For more information, visit www.breastcancerprogress.ca.