World Cancer Day Spotlight: How Diverse Voices Help Improve Cancer Diagnosis

World Cancer Day 2026’s theme, ‘United by Unique’, is a reminder to put people at the centre of cancer care and close gaps that prevent equitable outcomes. The Ontario Cancer Plan 6 includes a focus on advancing equity in cancer care and improving the experience for all patients and their care partners across the journey, including in diagnosis. The Patient and Family Advisor community at Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) brings important lived experience into health system planning, however it was not fully representative of high-priority groups including those from structurally marginalized communities, including those who identify as Black, Francophone and French-speaking, newcomer, rural and remote, low-income, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, or living with a disability. Project Engaging Diverse Voices in Systems Improvement (Project EDV) was created to address this gap.

Putting People at the Centre

Project EDV was led by the Moonshot Collaborative for Translational Health Equity at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, in partnership with Ontario Health. Aligning with Goal 3 of the Ontario Cancer Plan 6, the purpose was to gather insights and understand the needs and experiences of people from three high-priority populations:

• People who identify as Black, such as those from African and Caribbean communities
• Newcomers to Canada within the past seven years, including immigrants, refugee or refugee claimants, people without permanent or guaranteed status, and temporary foreign workers
• Francophone and French-speaking communities

Through Project EDV, people from these communities shared what it’s like to navigate a cancer diagnosis and the healthcare system.  

Insights from Participants

Participants described facing systemic barriers such as medical dismissal, racism, language challenges and care that did not reflect their cultural needs. Many shared experiences of unclear communication about tests, results, timelines and next steps, which increased confusion and anxiety during an already difficult time.

Social and economic factors, like transportation, employment, income, disability and access to supports, also shaped people’s ability to move through the diagnostic process. As a result, many patients and caregivers felt they needed to advocate strongly for timely care.

Participants also spoke about the emotional and psychological impact of these experiences. Feelings of isolation, mistrust and distress sometimes led people to delay follow-up care, deepening inequities in outcomes.

Recommendations for Improvement

Participants identified several ways the cancer system can improve:

• Coordinate referrals and diagnostic scheduling more easily
• Provide culturally safe, multilingual patient navigation services
• Communicate timelines and results clearly and consistently
• Respect language and communication preferences
• Deliver team-based and culturally responsive care
• Provide improved access to emotional, social and practical supports

Driving Change for Timely Cancer Diagnosis

Project EDV highlights the importance of person-centred care and reducing inequities across the cancer journey. Improving timely cancer diagnosis starts with listening, especially to voices that have been underrepresented, and using what we learn to drive meaningful change across Ontario’s cancer system.

Ontario Health is using what we heard from Project EDV to shape the BEACON Suspicion of Cancer Service, a diagnostic assessment program. Insights from Project EDV are helping strengthen earlier and more coordinated access to diagnosis, culturally safe and multilingual navigation supports, clearer communication about timelines and next steps, and better connect referral pathways across the system. Hospitals participating in this pilot are now beginning this work by identifying equity-deserving populations in their communities and applying these recommendations in ways that reflect local needs and barriers.

Members from Project EDV have joined Ontario Health’s Patient and Family Advisor community. Their lived experiences continue to guide planning, implementation and evaluation efforts, helping us to better understand ongoing challenges in the cancer system. This will help ensure BEACON and future diagnostic improvements are grounded in the needs of communities that have historically been underrepresented. This collaboration is helping us build a more inclusive, responsive and person‑centred approach for people across Ontario.

Share Your Cancer Care Experience

Ontario Health is looking for volunteers to join our Patient and Family Advisor Community to help improve the province's cancer care system. We’re looking for people with recent experience with the cancer care journey who are willing to share their perspectives.

People living with cancer, those undergoing treatment and their care partners are encouraged to apply.

Please email oh-cco_patientfamilyadvisors@ontariohealth.ca to request an expression of interest form.