Dr. Stacey Santi, the Health Sciences North Foundation Research Chair in Cancer Solutions, remembers meeting a family who had travelled from out of town so their loved one could receive cancer treatment in Sudbury. They had taken time off work and spent money on travel and accommodations just to be there. That conversation made her realize how cancer affects not only the person who is sick—but the whole family, in many different ways.
It also sparked her interest in something called financial toxicity, the stress and hardship that comes from the cost of cancer care.
Most research in this area has focused on people living in cities, where services are closer and more available. But in Northern Ontario, things are different. Travel is longer, and resources can be limited. That’s why Dr. Santi, along with Dr. Lacey Pitre and Dr. Deborah Saunders, worked to adapt a national survey to better reflect the unique challenges faced by people in the North.
The study began in October and is one of the first fully digital research projects at Health Sciences North. It looks at how much money patients and families are spending—on things like gas, hotels, meals, and lost income from missing work.
The goal is to better understand these hidden costs so that real changes can be made. The team will keep collecting responses until the end of June, and then begin analyzing the results.
This important research is possible because of donors who give to the Health Sciences North Foundation. Their support not only funds Dr. Santi’s role, but also makes studies like this one happen—research that leads to better care and real solutions for people in our region.
“The research we do here directly impacts patients in Northern Ontario,” says Dr. Santi. “We couldn’t do it without the Foundation.”
As the study moves forward, it brings us closer to building a more fair and supportive healthcare system for families across the North.