Media Alert - Ottawa Panelists to Discuss Rare Disease Strategy to Support 3 Million Canadians

OTTAWA, Nov. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - The Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD) will visit Ottawa, November 9, to discuss the urgent need to implement Canada's Rare Disease Strategy.  This Ottawa panel, with local perspectives, is one of a series of Economic Club of Canada luncheons to heighten attention to the Strategy.

In Canada, disability and death due to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes have dropped by 50% and more over the past 20 to 50 years due in large part to world-class national strategies.  At the same time, Canadians with rare diseases still struggle to access timely and appropriate care, resulting in unnecessary delays in testing, wrong diagnoses, children with physical and mental developmental challenges, and premature death.  Canada lags behind more than 35 other countries that have already put in place national plans for rare diseases. 

CORD calls upon all Canadians to join it in implementing Canada's Rare Disease Strategy to give the same hope and treatment to patients with rare diseases as provided to Canadians with common conditions and other patients with rare diseases around the world.  Follow the panel discussion on Twitter: #Canada4Rare

WHO:	Panelists:
	Durhane Wong-Rieger, President & CEO, CORD
	Dr. Alex MacKenzie, Principal Investigator, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute & Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa
	Jonathan Pitre (and mother Tina Boileau), Ottawa rare disease patient (known as "Butterfly Child" with Epidermolysis bullosa)
	Sean Thompson, CEO, Ramsey Lake Pharma Corp.
	Moderator:  Mr. Fred Horne, Former Minister of Health, Alberta
WHAT:	Panel discussion: "A Rare Disease Strategy for All Canadians"
WHEN:	Monday, November 9, 2015
	11:30 a.m.	Guest/media registration begins
	12:15 p.m.	Panel discussion
	1:30 p.m.	Event concludes
WHERE:	Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Drawing Room
	1 Rideau Street, Ottawa, Ontario

SOURCE The Economic Club of Canada

To confirm attendance or for more information about the event, please contact: Emily Whelan, Economic Club of Canada, Cell: 613-314-7171, [email protected]