Is University Financially Accessible to Cancer Survivors?

While the probability of developing cancer is high (39.4%) among the Canadian population, the likelihood of dying from cancer is low (25%) and getting lower. Cancer treatment technologies and research are receiving an increased amount of funding every year, contributing to the rising statistic of cancer survival. However, public services are not necessarily ready to meet the needs of a growing amount of cancer patient survivors. Cancer treatment causes substantial financial strain on Canadian families. Parents are often forced to take months off from work on top of having to pay for hefty medical bills. How would your life change if you developed cancer as a University student? One cancer survivor, Vanessa Jordan, puts this picture in perspective.

“I was in my first year of University, living in Saugeen when I became ill and was diagnosed with cancer,” she recalls as a not so distant memory.

“I was relocated to the Toronto cancer center. My Dad flew in from New Foundland and my mom came in from Texas. They each took eight months off of work and stayed with me in Toronto.” Luckily, after two long years, Vanessa is cancer free and back to school full time at the University of Western Ontario.

A group of Western students have taken note of this specific problem and are doing something about it. Infusion, run by students at the University of Western Ontario, started a unique program last year that is specifically designed to meet the needs of cancer survivors. Together, Infusion, the London Health Science Foundation and the Childhood Cancer Foundation have designed a scholarship program for young adults who have survived cancer. The scholarship program provides financial assistance to students who are unable to afford post-secondary education due to the financial strain caused by cancer. The Childhood Cancer Foundation and Infusion are selecting student recipients for the scholarships. These scholarships will then be used to help fund a post-secondary education at The University of Western Ontario.

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Media Contact:
Danica Wolfe
Director of Public Relations
E-mail: Dwolfe2@uwo.ca
Phone: (c) 933.3264 (h) 642.7057