The heartbreaking story of Jess Grossman, a 37 year old Canadian woman diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. Her video explains all regarding the progression of her disease amidst the wait time for treatment that may have allowed the aggressive cancer to spread.
As she’s told it: rectal cancer was diagnosed after an ER physician initially dismissed her pain; she did chemo and radiation; a surgeon went from roughly 85–95% confident surgery could remove the tumour but required further imaging, specialists and reports. By the time the work-up finished the cancer had spread too far to operate. She is now going to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on September 17, 2026 for a second opinion and treatment.
This segues into how Alberta is trying to experiment with improved provision of care by introducing access to elective private surgical services whilst maintaining access to the public system.
Alberta thinks it has a health care fix. Ottawa, as always, is skeptical
Shawn Whatley: Alberta right to challenge sacred rules of medicare
The Federal Government is focusing on health care ideology while Alberta’s is about health care capacity and not ideology. Alberta is trying to emulate what most countries with universal health care coverage do to provide better health outcomes.
Almost every high-income country except Canada allows some private insurance or private delivery for medically necessary care. Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and France all mix public coverage with a private option. They spend similar or less money than Canada, have more doctors and scanners, and report shorter waits. In Commonwealth Fund and Fraser Institute comparisons, Canada ranks near the bottom on same-day appointments and on waits of two months or more for elective surgery. Germany and the Netherlands sit near the top on access and affordability. Australia and Germany show the smallest gaps between high- and low-income patients on several access measures.
In other news:
The trend to recommend gelatin as the “new Ozempic” falls flat.
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Health Care wait times
Playlist
1st segment
Intro: Believer – Imagine Dragons
Outro: Haven’t Got Time for the Pain – Carly Simon
2nd segment
Intro: Bones- Imagine Dragons
Outro: Pain – Three Days Grace
3rd segment
Intro: Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
Outro: Everybody Hurts – R.E.M.
4th segment
Intro: Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Greenday
Outro: Cancer – My Chemical Romance