Cancer is not a different disease in the Caribbean.
What is different is the probability of getting and dying of cancer.

Your Risk of Getting Cancer

Much of the risk of developing cancer is related to social determinants of health: standard of living, access to food and clean water, gender, age, education, literacy and employment. These conditions also impact risk factor exposure with regard to nutrition, obesity, level of physical activity and exposure to tobacco, alcohol and other addictions.

Post Diagnosis

Once cancer has been diagnosed, the outcome is dependent on the care and treatment you receive, particularly with regard to surgery, oncology and radiation therapy. Treatment must be:
1. Available
2. Accessible
3. Affordable
4. Timely
5. High quality

Our Vision

is a continuous reduction in the burden of cancer enabling self-sufficient, sustainable population-based cancer control.

Our Mission

is to assist the islands in the eastern Caribbean in developing population-based cancer control plans that lay out the measures required to control cancer as well as how they will be funded, implemented, operationalised and measured. Our goal is to put in place the interventions required to reduce the incidence of cancer, improve the quality of life of those experiencing cancer, their families and caregivers, and lower to probability of dying from the disease.

Who Are We

Cancer Care Caribbean is a not-for-profit organisation made up of doctors and health care professionals committed to its mission and vision. Partnering with our colleagues in the Caribbean, we are committed to transferring our knowledge, skills and experience, and providing education, training and leadership to improve cancer incidences and outcomes in the Caribbean. Leadership is being provided by Dr. Simon Sutcliffe and Dr. Denny De Petrillo, both of whom have had distinguished careers as physicians, oncologists and educators in the field of cancer care.

PLEASE JOIN US! Our mission requires the coordinated efforts of experienced professionals in hosptials, universities, public health groups, professional associations, NGOs, government and the private sector. If you wish to join us, please see our contact information below.

Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, M.D., FRCP, FRCP(C), FRCR

Dr. Sutcliffe has had a long and distinguished career in the field of cancer care. He has been the President and CEO of Princess Margaret Hospital, the Ontario Cancer Institute and the B.C. Cancer Agency. Dr. Sutcliffe has practiced and published extensively in the areas of radiation and medical oncology as they apply to the treatment of lymphoma, leukemia, bone marrow transplants, endocrine cancer, fertility and gonadal function in cancer patients and cellular immune deficiency and immunomodulation. In addition, he is well known for his work in national cancer control planning and global cancer control.

A retired clinical oncologist and award- winning physician and leader in the area of cancer care, Dr. Sutcliffe is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia and an Associate Scientist at BC Cancer. He has served on the Board of numerous organizations and agencies in Canada working to drive innovation, facilitate the sharing of knowledge and improve diagnostics and treatments for those suffering from cancer. He is a graduate of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, receiving his MBBS Honours (London University) in 1970 and his MD degree in 1979 (London University). He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK and Canada) and the Royal College of Radiologists (UK).

Chairman, Cancer Care Caribbean.

Denny De Petrillo, M.D., FRCS(C)

A leader in the field of cancer care, Dr. De Petrillo is an experienced builder of oncology programs and partnerships both in Canada and internationally. He was a founder of the Gynecologic Oncology of Canada, the International Gynecologic Oncology Society (IGCS) and Caribbean Gynecologic Cancer Society. Dr. De Petrillo, a widely sought out teacher and mentor, has trained over 50 Gynecologic Oncologists who now occupy positions of leadership around the world.

Dr. De Petrillo served as a Director of the Division of Gynecological Oncology at McMaster University and the University of Toronto, the Chief of Surgical Oncology at Princess Margaret Hospital, Head of Surgical Oncology at Cancer Care Ontario and Chief of the Department of Oncology at Trillium Health Partners. He also served as President of the Canadian Oncology Society, the Gynecologic Oncologists of Canada and the Western Association of Gynecologic Oncologists. Dr. De Petrillo has won numerous awards including the inaugural Presidential Award from the Gynecologic Oncologists of Canada, the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Medical Association, the Presidential medal for Lifetime Achievement as a “Builder” by the ICGS and the Presidential medal of Caribbean Gynecologic Cancer Society.

Board Member, Cancer Care Caribbean

With regard to cancer, it matters where you live and who your parents are!

If you are an adult with cancer in the Caribbean, your chances of dying of cancer are double those if you live in Canada.