Throat cancer patient asks for help

 A middle age man from Brandon who was being treated for mouth and throat cancer has asked Cancer Crossing for help paying for transportation to Winnipeg for radiation. With no disability insurance he is on EI Sick benefits which is only a portion of his regular pay. His wife is working but also has no benefits that he can access. Cancer Crossing is glad to be able to help with some expenses and wish him well. You can help patients in need by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Glioma patient receives help

 Cancer Crossing was informed of a young woman with glioma who needed help. She lives near Riding Mountain and travel to Winnipeg for treatment cost $400 as she is unable to drive. With no long or short term disability insurance she relies on EI Sick benefits. Repeated need to travel to Winnipeg was using all her benefits and more. Luckily she asked for help! You too can help cancer patients in need by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Prostate cancer patient receives travel assistance

 Cancer Crossing is happy to have given aid to a gentleman from western Manitoba. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer which required at least 25 trips to Brandon for treatment, a distance of over 100 km. This would cost a minimum of $1000 in gasoline, which he simply did not have room for in his budget. Imagine his stress after working his whole life and now all the various expenses were more than his pension income. He was working part time to supplement his income in order to pay for this but his need for treatment meant he would not be able to work as much as he wished. Luckily we were contacted and happy to help out. Along with a cheque we send our best wishes to him. Donations are gratefully received at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Help for metastatic renal cancer patient

Cancer Crossing was asked to assist with expenses for a man with renal (kidney) cancer. He lives in a small town on the east shore of Lake Manitoba. His treatment is in Selkirk which meant a nearly $300 round trip through a local senior's program. Since his treatment is long term he needed financial help to pay for transportation. We are pleased to carry some of the burden for him so that he can concentrate on treatment. You too can help by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Hereditary cancers

 Up to 10% of all cancers are caused by a genetic change in a cell. Hereditary cancers happen due to this genetic change being passed from parent to child. A family cancer syndrome is a rare disorder where a higher than average risk of cancer is passed down through the family. One of these syndromes is becoming more widely known, and that is Lynch Syndrome.

Lynch Syndrome can cause colon cancer, as well as uterine, ovarian, stomach, pancreatic, kidney, gall bladder, urinary bladder and bile duct cancer at a young age. There are genetic tests available in Manitoba to anyone that has colon cancer at younger than 70 years of age. If the test is positive for Lynch then other family members may be eligible for genetic testing as well. If a parent with the Lynch gene has developed cancer and their child or children have inherited the gene, then those children should get colonoscopies starting at age 20 to 25 OR 10 years earlier than the first colorectal cancer diagnosis in their family, whichever comes first. The lifetime risk of colorectal cancer in someone with the Lynch gene is up to 80% in Manitoba. (Risk for those WITHOUT the Lynch gene is about 5%.) It is easy to see how important it is to be screened and to have regular colonoscopies.

Read more at https://wrha.mb.ca/files/lynch.pdf and https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics

http://www.cancercrossing.org/

 Cancer Crossing is privileged to have helped a young woman in Winnipeg with cancer. Not only was she advised not to work during treatment, she had no short term disability or long term disability available. She was waiting anxiously for EI sick benefits. She has no significant family support and is single. Imagine how desperate she had become! Luckily she reached out to Cancer Crossing and we were able to give her a financial boost to help bridge the gap. You too can help bridge the gap for others by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

THANK YOU from a recipient

 We at Cancer Crossing are happy to know when we have made a difference in someone's life. Read what one recipient of financial assistance said:

"You have lessened my financial stress about travel expenses. Other cancer patients should reach out to Cancer Crossing if they need help. There are so many foundations that offer support and I am grateful."

You too can help make a difference in a cancer patient's life by donating to Cancer Crossing at http://www.cancercrossing.org/