Joan Hama, 68, from Canada, nearly lost her life due to a delayed colonoscopy. Originally advised to undergo the procedure within 60 days, Hama had to wait eight months. This delay caused a cancerous tumour to obstruct her intestines, leading to rupture and requiring emergency surgery. She recalled, “I almost died on the operating table” after receiving CPR multiple times during the surgery.
Melanie Leeson experienced a similar struggle. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she faced a wait of 111 days for treatment in Canada, far exceeding the recommended four-week timeframe. Despite attempts to gain admission to a cancer centre, she was denied until her biopsy results were completed. As her condition worsened, Leeson sought treatment in the United States, where she was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. After returning to Canada, the British Columbia Cancer Centre could only offer treatment in nine weeks, which was too late given her prognosis. Thankfully, her treatment schedule was accelerated to three weeks, and the chemotherapy proved effective.
Leeson’s journey did not end there. She later sought advanced surgery in the U.S. for a cost of $240,000, using most of her retirement savings and raising funds through crowdfunding. After surgery, which included the removal of several organs, she received high-intensity chemotherapy (HIPEC). This treatment was deemed to potentially extend her life by up to 10 years, and now, Leeson is cancer-free.
However, Hama and Leeson are fortunate exceptions. According to data from SecondStreet.org, a non-profit research group, approximately 75,000 Canadians have died while waiting for medical treatment since April 2018. This includes individuals awaiting cancer treatment, MRI scans, and heart surgeries. In the 2023–2024 period alone, it is estimated that 15,474 Canadians will die waiting for procedures, though the actual number could be higher as some provinces, such as Quebec, Alberta, Newfoundland, and Manitoba, do not release full data.
In Ontario alone, 378 people died waiting for heart surgery, with some waiting over 14 years. The report suggests that many provinces do not track or report deaths due to medical delays, meaning the actual number may be much higher. Dr. Brett Belchetz, co-founder of the medical platform ‘Maple,’ emphasizes that these extended waiting times are putting lives at risk. Experts continue to highlight waiting times as a critical issue in Canada’s medical system, underscoring the need for reform to prevent further unnecessary deaths.