A personal message from Sara Hastings-Simon

Hi, Energy vs Climate subscribers, Sara here. I won't be back for the start of the season, and I wanted to let you know why. I've recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and I'll be taking some time off to focus on treatment. I'm sharing this with you mostly because I wanted to emphasize the importance of screening.

Here in Alberta, the recommended age to start breast cancer screening is 50. But if we look at some of the best practices and policies around the world – as you know I like to do – the age is as young as 40 in places like the U.S. And it is possible and really not very difficult to get screening done at a younger age in Alberta (and I assume other parts of Canada). Depending on your situation, you might need a note from a doctor or in some cases you can just self-refer to the imaging clinic. 

As the youngest member of the EvC cast (sorry for the reminder Ed and David) I'm much below the age for routine screening in Alberta. I will be forever grateful for others who shared this information with me and helped ensure that my cancer was caught earlier, much earlier, than it would have been if I had waited until the recommended age.

I can also vouch for the fact that mammograms are less painful than being mansplained the fact that the sun doesn't always shine. So please take action or if that doesn't apply to you directly, tell your partner or your family about the importance of screening. 

As far as EvC, Ed and David will keep things going, and I have a few pre-recorded pieces that will drop at some point over the season. I look forward to being back on the show with you all again in the future.

You can find more information on cancer screening in Canada at the Canadian Cancer Society website.

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