SETTING OUR SIGHTS ON 2020

On March 29th, 2007 at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in Vancouver, “The Summit: 2020 – The Future Without Breast Cancer” was held, and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Region asked two simple but very complex questions: If we want a future without breast cancer by 2020, what will it take? More to the point, where do we start?

At The Summit, British Columbia’s leaders in cancer care and women’s health along with breast cancer survivors, met face-to-face in a “round table” setting to begin to answer these questions. They came to listen, discuss, debate, and formulate a plan that would realize the 2020 goal. After key presentations by leaders in the areas of prevention, early detection, treatment, research and emerging health care workforce issues, participants discussed the potential contribution of each area toward a future without breast cancer.
 
The recommendations coming out of The Summit were as follows:
 
PREVENTION

• Deliver clear messages about personal risk reduction
• Advocate for public policies that facilitate the prevention of cancer
• More answers from research about environmental impacts and risk factors
  

 
EARLY DETECTION

• Clear messages that appeal to all women about how often to go for a mammogram and why
• Fully involve family doctors in informing women about having a regular mammogram
  

 
TREATMENT

• Develop advanced treatment systems that provide more precision in cancer care: the right treatment for the right woman, for the right type of breast cancer
  

RESEARCH

• Developing comprehensive cancer care, where research informs treatment

HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE

• All related health occupations and organizations need to become more strategic about workforce recruitment, education and planning to avert a future with high case loads and personnel shortages.
  

 
Click here to download a PDF of the final report from The Summit – 2020: The Future Without Breast Cancer (1.6 MB)
 
 
The 2020 Task Force

The 2020 Task Force was struck with five Working Groups, one for each area of focus. Each Working Group is developing and managing the execution of a plan to move their recommendations forward to the ultimate goal: 2020 – The Future Without Breast Cancer. The 2020 Task Force is a true collaboration of partners and experts in the cancer and health care fields. By working together across disciplines and with all relevant organizations these efforts have the potential for a global impact that achieves a future without breast cancer by 2020. The role of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Region is to facilitate, help support and ensure a comprehensive and coordinated plan is executed.

The purpose of the Task Force is to develop and lead a consolidated strategy amongst the five areas of work recommended to achieve a future without breast cancer by 2020. The actual work in each of the five areas of focus will be achieved by Working Groups comprised of all necessary stakeholders, using experts in each area.
 
The 2020 Task Force consists of the following representatives:
 
CO-CHAIRS:
Virginia Greene
Past Chair & Board of Directors Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Region, President and CEO, Business Council of British Columbia

Dr. Moira Stilwell
Head of Nuclear Medicine, St. Paul’s Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, Abbotsford Regional Hospital & Cancer Centre
 
PREVENTION CHAIR:
Ms. Barbara Kaminsky
CEO, Canadian Cancer Society, BC & Yukon Division
 
EARLY DETECTION CHAIR:
Dr. Paula Gordon, MD, F.R.C.P.C.
Clinical Professor of Radiology at UBC, Medical Director of the Breast Program at BC Women's Hospital and Chair of the Academic Committee of the Screening Mammography Program of BC
 
TREATMENT CHAIR:
Dr. Stephen Chia
Medical Oncologist, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Chair - British Columbia Breast Tumour Group, British Columbia Cancer Agency - Vancouver Cancer Centre
 
RESEARCH CHAIR:
Dr. Samuel Aparicio
BM BCh PhD FRCPath, Nan and Lorraine Robertson Chair of Breast Cancer Research, BCCA/UBC, Canada Research Chair in Molecular Oncology
 
HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE CHAIR:
Mr. Reid Johnson
President, Health Sciences Association of British Columbia