Traditional healing urged in aboriginal cancer care – CBC

CBC News Posted: Sep 4, 2012

Growing concern about cancer rates in aboriginal communities is prompting efforts in Ontario to provide culturally specific care, which some say needs to include a mix of traditional healing and mainstream medicine.

The agency that oversees cancer care in Ontario has embarked on a three-year plan to reduce the cancer risk for people of aboriginal descent.

It includes community programs to screen more people who are at risk.

Mark Hartman is the head of the Northeast Cancer Centre in Sudbury. Eight per cent of the population that the centre serves is aboriginal.

“We are seeing cancer rates rising more quickly than in the general population. In part, that may be due to smoking rates, diet and other social issues,” Hartman said.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2012/09/04/sudbury-aboriginal-cancer-care.htmlread more