Mr. Speaker, the month of March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Canada, even though it is preventable and highly treatable when caught early. We must make a critical shift in our health care policy to lower the standard screening age from 50 years to 45 years for average-risk Canadians. The medical evidence is clear that early-onset cases are rising, and catching this disease five years sooner will save Canadian lives.
My own brother is a colon cancer survivor, and eight years since a timely diagnosis and treatment, he is alive and well.
Today three cancer survivors, Melissa Groff, Michael Groves and Jennifer Eppel, are here in Ottawa to advocate for policy change. Together their voices turn statistics into stories and policy changes into hope.
To all Canadians, please get screened for colorectal cancer. This simple step can save one's life.