The Canadian Cancer Society has created a webinar series on COVID-19 and cancer to offer support and information to people with cancer and their caregivers, family and friends. Each webinar is presented by an expert speaker and addresses a central question about managing cancer needs during this time of COVID-19. Topics include:

• Cancer and COVID-19: Exercise for people with cancer and their families during COVID-19 (Length: 48 minutes)
• End-of-life and palliative care in the time of COVID-19 (Length: 17 minutes)
• COVID-19 and cancer treatment (Length: 45 minutes)
• Cancer and COVID-19: Staying safe (Length: 21 minutes)
• Coping with cancer and COVID-19 (Length: 25 minutes)
• COVID-19 and cancer patients (Length: 13 minutes)

For more information and to watch a webinar: https://www.cancer.ca/en/support-and-services/resources/cancer-and-covid19-webinar-series/?region=bc

Miskin Law has stepped up once again with a very generous donation to the Canadian Mesothelioma Foundation.  We are very grateful for Miskin Law's continuing support. 

And thank you to the Insulators Local 95 for their generous donation and whose support we value tremendously and can always count on! 

Thank you to the BC and Yukon Building and Construction Trades Council!

These donations will help us continue to support those affected by mesothelioma. The pandemic has prevented the Canadian Mesothelioma Foundation from holding our usual fundraising events.  This has had a devastating affect on our fundraising efforts. Please consider helping us continue our work. Donate now.  We can't do it without you!  

"The company has faced thousands of lawsuits from cancer patients who claim that its talc was contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen, and that the company knew of the risks."

    - By Tiffany Hsu and Roni Caryn Rabin in the New York Times, May 19th, 2020

In a developing story, the New York Times is reporting that Johnson & Johnson announced today (May 19, 2020) that it is discontinuing North American sales of baby powder made with talc. According to the article, Johnson & Johnson "would wind down sales over the next few months, allowing existing bottles to be sold by retailers until they run out. Baby powder made with cornstarch will remain available, and talc-based baby powder will continue to be sold in other parts of the world."

To read the full article: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/business/johnson-baby-powder-sales-stopped.html

Johnson & Johnson's consumer announcement can be read in full here: https://www.jnj.com/our-company/johnson-johnson-consumer-health-announces-discontinuation-of-talc-based-johnsons-baby-powder-in-u-s-and-canada

The CMF will continue to monitor this story and will publish updates as they emerge.

"Many Canadians work their entire adult lives assuming if they become sick because of their job, they and their families will be taken care of. For the thousands of people who do develop an occupational disease each year, the reality is very different."

            From the Introduction to "The Uncounted", by reporter Greg Mercer

On May 8th, The Star and The Record published "The Uncounted", a series of six investigative reports written by reporter Greg Mercer on the toll of occupational disease in Canada. CMF Board Chair Dr Eudice Goldberg is quoted in Part 2: Prevention and Part 6: Compensation. CMF Board Member Alec Farquar is quoted in Part 2: Prevention. The work of CMF Scientific Advisory Committee member Dr Paul Demers (Director of the Occupational Cancer Research Centre) is cited throughout and he is quoted in Part 1: Statistics, Part 3: Regulations, and Part 4: Diagnosis.

To view each of the reports, click on the links below: