Cancer research study seeks P.E.I. participants

An organization collecting information for cancer research says it needs 700 more volunteers from P.E.I.

Atlantic PATH is recruiting men and women between ages 35 to 69 for a study that involves a questionnaire and a health assessment. The data will help researchers find out why some people develop cancer and others don't, and possibly lead to better diagnosis and prevention.

"What we basically do is ask people who've already been through and done both parts of the study, we ask them to invite their friends, neighbours, you know, the people they see every day, to get in touch with us or give us their names and we'll get in touch with them, so we can get new people," said David Thompson, director of operations.

"There are few of us who are rich enough to fund research, there are few of us who are going to be the researchers ourselves. But this is something that everybody can do."

Atlantic PATH — or Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health — is part of a $42-million national study examining how genetics, environment, lifestyle and behavior contribute to cancer development. The study will follow the health of 300,000 people in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada for 30 years.

Of the 1,100 Islanders recruited so far, two-thirds have completed the health assessment.

The organization needs people to volunteer by the end of this year.

Atlantic PATH is holding assessments in Summerside Sept. 29 and 30, and in Charlottetown Oct. 1 to 3.