Thank you so much.
I want to start out by thanking all the witnesses.
Your stories, Madam White, Madam Holland and Madam Wahamaa-Deschenes, speak to the fact that this is bigger than a physical illness. People need to look at the long-term emotional and physical impacts of cancer on the survivor but also on families. I'm sorry that in your cases that was not respected.
If I have time, I want to ask Dr. Seely some questions, because she's leaving.
Dr. Seely, you have come before to committee to present evidence. We had a witness by the name of Dr. Ify McKerlie, and she stated in a former committee meeting:
In the U.S., it was noted that in Black, Hispanic and Asian women, breast cancer peaks at an earlier age of 40 when compared to white women. Recent Canadian analysis shows that Caucasian women are the only group whose peak incidence is greater than 50.
She went on to say, “The task force was aware of this recent, yet-to-be published paper from Statistics Canada, but did not lower the screening age”, which was shocking to me.
She added that not only were the studies that were prioritized during the development of draft recommendations out of date, but that they also used a sample population composed of 98% white women. She added, “With knowledge comes responsibility, so knowing the above—acknowledging higher mortality in Black women in the 40 to 49 age group—and not acting on it is simply unethical and discriminatory.”
Do you feel that there needs to be more research done to look at screening ages for populations based on genetic research?