Time to “Even the Odds” in Canada

from Staples Canada

With a mission to help make the future fair for everyone, Staples Canada and MAP, a world-leading research centre, have launched the second year of the Even the Odds fundraising partnership with a goal to raise $2 million in 2022.

Even the Odds launched last year to help raise awareness of inequity in Canada and build vibrant, healthy communities. The campaign raised $1.23 million during its inaugural year, thanks to the support of Staples Canada’s customers, associates and vendor-partners, as well as a corporate match donation.

In Canada, income, education, and experiences of discrimination strongly affect the odds of staying healthy. That’s because social and economic status determine how easy it is to access the resources that are essential for good health, such as affordable housing, nutritious food, and health care. As a result, over 1.2 million children in Canada live in households that struggle to afford fresh fruit and vegetables. At least one million people sacrifice basic essentials to pay for medical prescriptions, and 235,000 are homeless every year. The pandemic has exposed the magnitude of social, health and economic inequity in Canada, with racialized and low-income populations carrying a disproportionate burden of the health and economic impacts.

Internationally recognized for ground-breaking science and innovation, MAP scientists work in partnership with communities and government leaders to address these issues and more through the development of equityfocused program and policy solutions.

“We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish in the first year of this partnership,” said David Boone, CEO of Staples Canada. “The support from our associates and customers has been outstanding, and it’s rewarding for our team to already see new research programs and solutions come to life that advance the important work that MAP is doing to build vibrant, healthy communities.”

MAP is a world-leading research centre dedicated to creating a healthier future for all. Through big-picture research and street-level solutions, MAP scientists tackle complex community health issues—many at the intersection of health and equity. MAP’s 32 scientists and over 120 staff and students work in partnership with communities, researchers, and government leaders across Canada to address issues such as homelessness, unequal access to health care and medicine, and the lifelong effects of childhood poverty. MAP is part of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. For more information, visit maphealth.ca.

Even the Odds has already begun making an impact by funding research and solutions throughout Canada, including three MAP projects: a leadership program for young people who are exiting homelessness; a health promotion school program for kids in disadvantaged neighbourhoods; and a national initiative to draw the blueprint for a more equitable primary care system in Canada.

How important is what I like to call the “Total Family Doctor” (TFD)? For years, I’ve praised the hardworking family doctor for the role he or she plays in medical care. Now, many North Americans say it’s impossible to find a family doctor. What has happened to them?

Prior to becoming a surgeon, I had the good fortune to spend time as a family doctor. And I nearly decided to follow this path. Why? Because I also watched Specialists performing the same task every day. It could become boring, I thought. So, surgery finally won. But I’ve never forgotten the challenges of being a family physician. I even experienced the roles of hotel doctor and ship’s surgeon during medical training.

I believe that people who are fortunate enough to have a family doctor have a better chance of living longer. Why? Because seeing a doctor regularly for checkups means they’re not playing Russian Roulette with their health. We all hope that nothing is going to go wrong with the only body we will have in this life. But when your family doctor finds you have hypertension, you can start to cut down on salt. Or when the doctor recommends you should avoid obesity, you can improve the diet and decrease health risks.

Recently, through Even the Odds, Staples Canada and MAP also announced support for a new Université de Montréal and the Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP) project focused on an innovative health clinic, called Clinique Mauve, that’s specifically designed to meet the needs of racialized and migrant communities who identify as LGBTQI+. The project will evaluate the program and explore the best ways to tailor the clinic’s services to serve Two-Spirit and/ or trans Indigenous people, especially youth.

Getting a head start on problems cannot be overemphasized. Consider the woman whose breast malignancy is diagnosed early. Or the man who believes rectal bleeding is due to hemorrhoids. The “total family doctor” thinks otherwise and orders a colonoscopy which detects early cancer of the bowel. Or someone who believes a chronic cough is due to allergy. But an x-ray ordered by the family doctor finds early cancer of the lungs.

So give thanks to the Almighty if you have a “total family doctor” looking after you. Kudos if yours steers you away from the disease I call “Pillitis”, causing people to rush for painkillers at the first sign of a headache, ignoring the serious side effects of these drugs. Why not a cold towel on the brow? Or a quiet room to relax? And why the need to rush to the pharmacy after overindulgence in food? The family doctor may suggest just a change in eating habits as the right prescription.

It is also a plus to have a total family doctor who warns about the possible excess of radiation. He or she knows X-rays saves lives, but many patients are heedless of the damage of overuse. Patients should be hesitant to demand X-rays of the reluctant doctor.

Herewith relevant sto-

“Staples associates and customers’ commitment to Even the Odds in Canada has brought these exciting projects to life,” said Dr. Stephen Hwang, Director, MAP. “We are so grateful to be doing this outstanding work in partnership with Staples.”

Staples Canada will launch its first in-store fundraising effort of 2022 from May 2 to 22, 2022. Cus- ries. Family doctors, because they know their patients well, are astute diagnosticians. I’ve known many direct, decisive and empathetic TFDs. Patients appreciate these traits.

I witnessed a telling incident. Three specialists gathered around a patient were worried about his laboured breathing following gallbladder removal. They had decided the obstructed breathing was so serious it required an immediate tracheotomy to put a tube in his throat.

As they were about to wheel the patient into surgery, the family doctor arrived and listened to his long-time patient’s breathing. Promptly he said, “I’ve known Tom for 40 years and he always breathes that way!” The operation was immediately cancelled. Three embarrassed specialists departed. This illustrates why continuity of care is so vital.

There’s another way family doctors can be of tremendous help, when the problem is beyond the TFD’s range of expertise. A fast referral to the right specialist is something people without a family doctor rarely achieve.

Let’s train more TFD’s, the backbone of medical practice! In another life, I’d be one of them without hesitation.

Sign-up at www.docgiff. com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @ docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones tomers make a donation to Even the Odds at any one of Staples Canada’s 300+ stores or online at staples.ca/ eventheodds. For every dollar raised during the campaign, Staples Canada will match with a corporate donation, up to $500,000.

To learn more or make a donation to Even the Odds, visit staples.ca/eventheodds.

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