A Saskatchewan medical social worker battling breast cancer shared her experience navigating the health care system, while also expressing concerns about the field's culture and working conditions.
Shannon Orell Bast was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2022. Since then, she has undergone 16 rounds of chemotherapy, 25 rounds of radiation therapy, a double mastectomy without reconstruction, and 17 rounds of immunotherapy.
She appeared in Parliament on Tuesday to reveal the challenges she faced while receiving care.
“As a medical social worker, that's what I do for a living, navigating the healthcare system…and I've encountered a lot of barriers when trying to navigate it myself,” she said. he told reporters.
Aurel Bast also highlighted delays in diagnosis and treatment, and how people facing cancer cannot afford to wait.
“Studies show that for the best prognosis, breast cancer should be treated within nine months from the time it is discovered. “It will shorten the lifespan of people,” she said.
“I was actually worried at one point that this system was really going to kill me.”
Orel Bast said he has seen first-hand the effects of understaffing and a culture of overwork leading to burnout.
“Our mission statement is [Saskatchewan Health Authority] “We are working together to improve the everyday health and well-being of everyone,” and that includes health care workers, she explained.
“Because if they're not doing well, we're not going to be well.”
Orel Bast's appearance before Congress was not the first time he shared his experience navigating the health care system.
“We spoke in December about her personal situation and her views on how things are working better within the system,” Health Secretary Everett Hindley said on Tuesday. he told reporters.
“I think she did a great job being able to convey not only her personal situation but also what she experienced from front-line health care workers.”
Mr Hindley emphasized the importance of hearing from both patients receiving treatment and those working in the field.
“These patient engagements will help inform what decisions we make as a government,” he said.
“Why do people in the medical field feel this way? What can we do? Are we over capacity? Are we understaffed? As a government, we think we can solve these problems. Masu.”
As part of Saskatchewan's latest budget, the province will increase funding by $3.5 million for breast cancer treatment and screening efforts, $1 million for ongoing ovarian cancer research, and $1.2 million to strengthen gynecological cancer treatment. assigned.
The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA) is expected to see an increase of $26.1 million, or 11.7 per cent, bringing its total budget to a record $248.9 million.
In addition to sending women in need of emergency mammograms to Calgary, the province announced the opening of a breast health center in Regina along with expanded screening eligibility.
Contrary to Mr Hindley's comments on collaboration with health workers, Mr Orel Bast said there was still much to be done to improve working conditions in this sector.
She believes that while recruiting and filling vacancies is necessary, there needs to be a proper focus on retention and solving workload issues for those already working on the front lines.
“I'm here to defend the workers because they provide my care. So what happens if they're not doing well? They're not there. ” she said.
“You can put in infrastructure. You can put in machines, you can put in whatever you want. You need people to operate these things, and they have to be healthy. ”
“Create a culture of responsibility, respect, safety and mental well-being,” she added.
“A place where people want to go to work.”
