ColonCancerCheck - Welland patient speaks at provincial launch
- April 2008
- Français
Joe Hrechanyk is back at his favourite hobby, woodworking, now that he is fully recovered from colorectal cancer surgery.
Welland patient Joe Hrechanyk got up close and personal in March, when he was selected to tell his personal story at the launch of ColonCancerCheck, a provincial awareness campaign to increase participation in colorectal cancer screening programs. The program was officially launched by Minister of Health and Long-Term Care George Smitherman March 14 in Toronto. Hrechanyk's colorectal cancer screening and treatment at the Niagara Health System's (NHS) Welland Hospital Site and his story of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer illustrates the immense benefits of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program, underway in Ontario since 2007.
Joe has been interviewed by the media and is now responding to members of the community who've read about his experience and want reassurance about their own colorectal cancer treatments. "I don't mind talking about it, because I know firsthand what a difference this program is making," Joe says.
A Patient's Story
When Joe, aged 68, went last fall to see his new family doctor for a physical, the last thing he expected was advice to have colorectal cancer screening. "I was hesitant because I felt fine," says the semi-retired tour bus operator and carpentry hobbyist. "For one thing, I didn't know what it would be like and for another I was afraid to admit I could have a health problem." It is important to note that Joe had no symptoms for colorectal cancer, such as blood in the stool (also a symptom for hemorrhoids).
A Fecal Occult Blood Test was done and microscopic amounts of blood were found. The next step was for Joe's family doctor to book him in for a colonoscopy at Welland Hospital Site (WHS). "It was the first time I've ever had a test like this," Joe said about his colonoscopy in late November, "but it wasn't too bad."
During the scope, two polyps were found and the smaller one was malignant. The cancerous polyp was removed during the colonoscopy, but surgery was required to fully remove the second polyp. By mid-January, Joe was back at WHS for bowel resection surgery, where six to eight inches of his colon was removed. "I was amazed – I was sitting up the same day as the surgery, standing up the next day and walking around and using the bathroom the day after that."
"The NHS plays a major role in improving the health of Niagara residents, particularly when it comes to preventing cancer," said Kathy Hume, Colorectal Cancer Screening Clinical Manager. "We strongly encourage our residents to take advantage of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program by discussing this with their family physician."
Increasing Colonoscopies
In the last seven months, there has been a marked increase in the number of patients receiving colonoscopies at three of the NHS's sites. The NHS received $384,960 in new funding which has been put to good use, providing additional hospital Endoscopy hours for staff and general surgeons, gastroenterologists and internists to conduct an extra 25 colonoscopies per week or an additional 1,203 tests each year. This, combined with an annual caseload of 8,623 patients, brings the NHS's total colonoscopy volumes to almost 10,000 per year. The additional pre-screening colonoscopies are performed by 17 specialists at Greater Niagara General Site (Niagara Falls), Ontario Street Site (St. Catharines) and Welland Hospital Site.
"We have been working closely with our specialists and Niagara's family doctors, who are referring their patients to our Colorectal Cancer Screening Program," says Anne Atkinson, Vice President Patient Services for the Surgical Program. "We are very pleased that our caseload has increased, because early detection means a 90 per cent cure rate for colorectal cancer."
Free Testing
Ontario has one of the highest rates of colorectal or bowel cancer in the world and the province is investing $193 million over five years to raise awareness of the availability of screening for all adults 50 years and older. The new ColonCancerCheck program is a public awareness campaign which offers free colorectal cancer testing (Fecal Occult Blood Test and follow-up Colonoscopy) to Ontario adults over 50.
"Joe Hrechanyk is a prime example of a person who was asymptomatic," says Kathy Hume. "If he hadn't been encouraged to have the tests, a few months or years could have gone by before any symptoms showed and his outcome could be much worse. Every day, we see patients who are concerned because their father, mother, brother or sister had bowel cancer and they need the reassurance that the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program can give."
As a medical oncologist in Niagara, Dr. Janice Giesbrecht sees patients who need cancer therapies. "I would like to emphasize how important screening for colorectal cancer is for our population in order to reduce deaths from this common cancer," Dr. Giesbrecht says. "I primarily treat people who need surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation for more advanced cancers, when early detection could have made this unnecessary and ensured better outcomes. Colorectal screening including colonoscopy, in addition to early detection, can also prevent cancer by removing polyps at risk of developing cancer. As physicians who treat cancer, we strongly support this program."
Today, Joe has fully recovered from his surgery and feels great. "I have had no (post-op) problems and I can't say enough good things about the staff at the hospital and about this program. In my case, we got it early and I consider that a wonderful success."
Learn More
To learn more about colorectal cancer screening in Niagara, click here for a Fact Sheet or go www.cancercare.on.ca or www.coloncancercheck.ca.