Science in the City examines childhood cancer

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Barr, Ron.jpg” caption=”Dr. Ronald Barr, professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology and Medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. File photo.”]Cancer is the most common cause of death from disease in children, with one out of every 330 children battling cancer before their 20th birthday. On the flip side of that rather grim statistic is a cure rate of more than 80 per cent overall, but the costs of the cure can be considerable.

The “costs” are at the heart of Dr. Ron Barr's Science in the City public lecture, Cancer in childhood is curable — but at what cost?, this Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in The Hamilton Spectator Auditorium.

This free public lecture will take a look at the costs of the cure: the very real dollar costs incurred by the families of childhood cancer patients who, on average, have an added cost of 1/3 of after tax income because of the expenses associated with their child's illness; as well as the costs to the child's long-term health, incurred as they grow and age, sometimes developing adverse and unforeseen side effects from their treatment in early childhood.

“Families have to deal with so many expenses when it comes to their child's cancer treatment — whether it's paying for drugs and services not covered by the health care insurance, travel, accommodation, parking, babysitting for other children in the family, the loss of income — the financial impact on the family is significant,” says Barr, professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology and Medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine; chief, Service of Hematology-Oncology, McMaster Children's Hospital; and head, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics.

Barr, a pediatric cancer specialist known locally, nationally and internationally for his work in the field of pediatric oncology, will also discuss what he describes as “the burden of ill health” that can affect childhood cancer survivors later in life.

“The long-term effects range from educational difficulties, growth problems, infertility, to developing another cancer. The costs to our health care system don't end once the child is 'cured' — the challenge is how to minimize risk, devise treatments that are as effective but less toxic and think about ways to continue care for 'grads' of the cancer therapy programs,” says Barr.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Week runs from Sept. 17 to 21. All are invited to this free public lecture to learn more about the unique challenges of childhood cancer and the research that hopes to minimize the burden of this disease.

The lecture takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 19 in The Hamilton Spectator Auditorium, 44 Frid Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture begins at 7 p.m. To reserve your seat:
e-mail sciencecity@mcmaster.ca or call 905-525-9140, ext. 24934.