shira farber

music school founder and owner, live music connector, breast cancer rebel, mom of three

[densebreastscanada @densebreastscdn]

If you live in Ontario, you can book your #mammogram without a requisition from your doctor. Call the #Ontario breast screening program today 1-800-668-9304. Thank you to @OAR for this amazing video and all the advocacy that helped bring this lifesaving change about #ONPOLI

[Dr. Paula Gordon @DrPaulaGordon]

It’s essential that the patient voice be heard in these conversations. These women were harmed by the guidelines, and yet @cantaskforce thinks that they don’t need to be updated.
They need to look at the outcome of the guidelines, not just randomized trials.

[Supriya Kulkarni @SupriyaKulk]

And here we are finally !! #screening at 40 through the Ontario breast screening program !

[shira farber @shirafb]

@cantaskforce What's actually unethical is recommending against screening , ignoring the evidence from the US and allowing more women to be diagnosed with late staged cancers. Stop gaslighting CDN women and patients.

[Dr. Paula Gordon @DrPaulaGordon]

Already happening. Just look at the stories on https://t.co/dnPzgSTH0U
Women denied requisitions in their 40s, and diagnosed with advanced cancers. Also women not told about their breast density and/or denied supplemental screening, and diagnosed with avoidable advanced cancers.

[Dr. Paula Gordon @DrPaulaGordon]

This thread ⬇️⬇️

[Jenny Borgfjord | @jborgfjord. bsky.social @MrsBorg_fee_ord]

Would be interesting to know how many Canadian family doctors actually have/make time to "objectively consider" the science of TF recos. My guess is they "trust" TF as an informing body, therefore sentencing patients to later-stage diagnoses or death. @mbndp @UAsagwara @WabKinew

[Shiela Appavoo MD @ShielaAppavoo]

Nope. The Key Takeaway is don’t screen women 40-49.

“we suggest not to systematically screen with mammography”

The rhetoric around personal choice contradicts what you know to be true. Family doctors adhering to @cantaskforce will talk their patients out of screening.

[shira farber @shirafb]

@markhollandlib @YaaraSaks @lisahepfner @LeahGazan @MarciIen @CFPC_e

[Jean Seely, MD @JeanSeely]

In Canada, the percent of breast cancer cases diagnosed before age 50: 32.3% in Black, 16.6% in White; In the US, 22% in Black and 14% in White women.
Median age at death in women from breast cancer: in Canada: Black 61, White 71; in the US: Black 63, White 70. @Anwilkinson

[shira farber @shirafb]

@markhollandlib @YaaraSaks @lisahepfner @CFPC_e #cdnpoli

[Jean Seely, MD @JeanSeely]

In Canada 17% BC in White and 26.3% in Black women are diagnosed at stage III and IV. Canadian age-specific mortality rate for women 40-49 in Black is 1.4x higher than White women. In US the death rate is 40% higher in Black women overall and 2X more under age 50. @Anwilkinson

[Jean Seely, MD @JeanSeely]

In Canada 17% BC in White and 26.3% in Black women are diagnosed at stage III and IV. Canadian age-specific mortality rate for women 40-49 in Black is 1.4x higher than White women. In US the death rate is 40% higher in Black women overall and 2X more under age 50. @Anwilkinson

[shira farber @shirafb]

@markhollandlib @YaaraSaks @lisahepfner @CFPC_e

[Jean Seely, MD @JeanSeely]

In Canada, the median age at diagnosis of BC in Black women is age 56, and in White women it is 62; the peak age at diagnosis in Black women is 50, and in White women it is 65. In the USA, the median age of BC diagnosis in Black women is age 60. @Anwilkinson

[shira farber @shirafb]

In response to @cantaskforce post about wanting more research on Black women. @markhollandlib @lisahepfner @YaaraSaks @LeahGazan #cdnpoli

[Jean Seely, MD @JeanSeely]

This work has been submitted for publication and has been seen by @CPHA_ACSP and @cantaskforce. The incidence of BC in Black women in Canada is 102.5 and lower than White women 135.7 per 100.000. In the US it's 127.8 vs. 133.7 per 100,000 https://t.co/dD36ZvLxVd @Anwilkinson

[Shiela Appavoo MD @ShielaAppavoo]

Asking for more evidence specific to black women when there is plenty of evidence that early detection saves lives is part of the “science denial playbook”.

Industries like tobacco and fossil fuels have used this tactic to stall decisions, too.

[Shiela Appavoo MD @ShielaAppavoo]

Expertise and common sense are needed while waiting years to decades for more research.

We know screening decreases mortality from breast cancer. All women, but esp black women should be offered screening at 40.

@markhollandlib @YaaraSaks @LailaGoodridge @MPJulian #cdnpoli

[densebreastscanada @densebreastscdn]

In 🇨🇦 @cantaskforce continues to prioritize old and flawed data. @cantaskforce continues to perpetuate racial disparities by not lowering the screening age to 40. @cantaskforce guidelines lead to needless deaths. @markhollandlib @drsdelliscc @MPJulian @LailaGoodridge #cdnpoli

[Mommy Has Cancer (she/her/elle/ella) @MommyHasCancer]

Thank you to everyone who circulated my post over 315K so that I could find “Angel Natalie”, who saved my life! We had coffee together last Thursday so that I could personally thank her and giver her a great big hug!

https://t.co/cog9KTvzV6

Thank you to @CTVCalgary for capturing this!

Check it out!

[shira farber @shirafb]

Is this a farce? The form they created is not user friendly and their campaign has shifted to health providers, not patients, families and CDN women, as they initially claimed. #cdnpoli @markhollandlib @YaaraSaks @lisahepfner @LeahGazan @ellynjane

[shira farber @shirafb]

@cantaskforce But yet we aren't going to recommend earlier screening for these women. 🙄
You really can't see the forest for the trees.
#cdnpoli @markhollandlib @YaaraSaks @OliveBranchHope @CFPC_e @ShielaAppavoo @ellynjane @LeahGazan @cancersociety

[Mommy Has Cancer (she/her/elle/ella) @MommyHasCancer]

I think @MartinYaffe has the best analogy I’ve heard so far:

“If a Canadian wide-body jet were to crash because of maintenance problems, killing all 400 people on board, it would be seen as a national disaster and would occupy the news for weeks. If this happened each year, it would be unthinkable. But 400 is approximately the number of women in Canada who can be expected to die of breast cancer every year if screening for women in their 40s is cut back.”(*)

(*) Source: https://t.co/4GOhOZIEMI