"History is always From FANCY FLORIST 3.3% different from what has Serving both in USA & Canada Flower Residential 1st and 2nd Mortgages BEST happened" - Mandapam decorated with Jasmine Bankruptcy, Bad Credit, No Credit MORTGAGE and Kanaghambram flowers, Best Commercial Mortgages & Loans RATES Halldór Laxness Mortgage Arrangement with Major Banks April 23, 1902 - Garlands, Floral Wreath and Flowers Recruiting Mortgage Agents Contact: Varadhan February 8, 1998), KUHAN SHIVANANTHAN, CFP, FMA, FCSI, M.Sc www.fancyflorist.com Tel: 416.282.2167 Direct: 416.566.4036 Icelandic no velist, 1688 Victoria Park Ave, Toronto 885 Progress Ave, Suite UPH-14, Toronto, ON. M1H 3G3 Nobel laureate Canada # 416-288-1419 USA # 716-838-0844 Monsoon Journal A parfait media publication VOL 3 ISSUE 12 May 2009 Monsoon Sri Lanka U.N. Launches $ 50 million appeal for displaced Tamils in Northern Sri Lanka 13 Canada increases it's assistance to 7.5 million Dollars Joy of Enlightenment... By Siva Sivapragasam The assistance will also go for support of agricultural and eco- The United Nations nomic projects for persons Children in Mullivaaykkaal Organization along with the returning to their own homes. Government of Sri Lanka has Canada has also increased it's issued an appeal to raise fifty mil- commitment for rehabilitation to 14 lion dollars to meet the urgent 7.5 million dollars from the earlier "No fire zone", humanitarian needs of the dis- amount pledged. This came Responsibility to protect... placed civilians in the war-torn about after the recent trip of Ms. Sri Lanka-May 1, 2009 areas of Vanni and Mullaitivu. Beverley J. Oda, Minister for 24 The urgent appeal comes in International Co-operation. the wake of immediate needs for Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary- about 250,000 people, including General Ban Ki moon has told food, water, sanitation, shelter, reporters in New York that he had nutrition, health and protection, telephoned Sri Lankan President as well as education needs for Rajapakse and called for a pause EAGLE GLEN ... thousands of children who have in the fighting to allow humani- been without schooling due to tarian workers into the conflict the conflict. According to a U.N. zone. He also stated that "the source, the number of people World is watching events closely, trapped and yet remaining in the including for violations of interna- conflict zone is around 50,000. tional law. 39 Mirabhai ... 42 Monsoon Journal History - Sri Lankan civil war wishes you all a Monsoon Health 9 Monsoon Real Estate 22 Waterloo News 33 Monsoon Cine 36 Happy Mother’s Day Monsoon Kids 46 Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) 2.0% Premium Savings @ 2.0% Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10.00 a.m - 5.00 p.m Saturday: 10.00 a.m to 12.00 noon Suite 100A, 2100 Ellesmere Road, Toronto, ON. M1H 3B7 Tel: 416-915-8989 2 MAY 2009 Monsoon Journal 3.6 Monsoon Journal MAY 2009 Canada Newsline 3 Increasing Burden of Cancer Beginning to Strain Parts of System 2009 Quality Index Reports on Ontario's Cancer System Despite improvements to the "Cancer Care Ontario is look- cancer system including lower ing at ways to maximize smoking rates and better screen- resources to ensure that patients ing and care for colorectal cancer receive timely access to cent) of cancer patients treated in patients, this year's Cancer chemotherapy as close to home outpatient units continue to System Quality Index also reports as possible," noted Sullivan. "We report a reasonably high degree that the increasing burden of can- are working with the regions and of satisfaction with most aspects cer is beginning to strain parts of the Ministry of Health and Long- of their care. While scores for the cancer system. Term Care to address this issue." emotional support, remain lower "The overall quality of the Other highlights from the (this indicator was rated as satis- cancer system is very good with Cancer System Quality Index factory by only 51 per cent of many indicators showing include: cancer patients). improvements each year," said ?? Despite most patient wish- The Cancer Quality Council of Michael Decter, Chair, Cancer Dr. Bob Bell, President and CEO, University Health Network, The es, over half of Ontario cancer Ontario monitors and reports to Honourable Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion, Dr. George Quality Council of Ontario. "At the deaths occurred in an acute care the public on the quality and per- Pasut, Vice President, Prevention and Screening, Dr. Rene Shumak, same time, there is still room for Radiologist-in-Chief, Ontario Breast Screening Program hospital setting, but these num- formance of the cancer system. bers are beginning to decrease. The Cancer System Quality Index improvement. We continue to see The Index shows gains being ColonCancerCheck program is In addition, over 40 per cent of was launched in 2005 and pres- higher obesity rates and a signifi- made in the fight against colorec- making a difference. If detected cancer patients are visiting the ents a rolling snapshot of activity cant number of the population tal cancer, the second leading early enough, there is a 90 per emergency department for pain in 29 key indicators that cover the not following low-risk drinking cause of cancer deaths in Ontario. cent chance of surviving colorec- and symptom control in the last spectrum of cancer services, from guidelines that we know raise a Significant progress has been tal cancer, so that's why screening two weeks of their life. prevention through to end-of-life person's risk of cancer. As a soci- made towards improving screen- and early detection are so critical. ?? Wait times for cancer sur- care. ety we are still not doing enough ing, diagnosis and treatment for We have a ways to go but we are geries show some modest Cancer Care Ontario is the and require greater commitment colorectal cancer patients, which on the right track," said Terrence improvements, but variation provincial agency responsible for on the part of Ontarians, govern- are all contributing to better sur- Sullivan, President and CEO, exists across regions in their abil- continually improving cancer ments, and health professionals vival rates. In the past year, Cancer Care Ontario. ity to meet targets for the higher services. As the government's to promote healthier lifestyles and screening for colorectal cancer The increasing burden of can- priority surgeries (priority two and cancer advisor, Cancer Care modify behaviours." increased by 30 percent and diag- cer is largely attributed to an age- three cases). Ontario works to reduce the num- More than half of all cancers nostic colonoscopies are being ing population and it is beginning ?? With the exception of lung ber of people diagnosed with can- are preventable and about half of completed in a timely manner. to impact the capacity of the sys- cancer survival, rates for the 4 cer and make sure that patients cancer deaths are related to Survival for colorectal cancer has tem. An area where the cancer most common cancers (prostate, receive better care every step of tobacco use, diet and physical increased to 62 per cent -- up 11 system is starting to show signs breast, colon and lung) have sig- the way. activity. However, while Ontarians per cent from the previous of strain is chemotherapy. Until nificantly improved since 1991- For more information visit: are more physically active (48 per decade. now, Ontario has been able to 1995. Too many lung cancer www.csqi.on.ca. cent) and consuming more fruits "I am pleased to see the keep wait times for chemotherapy patients (78 per cent) are diag- Lenore Bromley, Senior Public and vegetables (42 per cent) than progress Ontario is making in in check. However, the Index nosed in the later stages of the Affairs Advisor, Cancer Care in 2001, at 17 per cent of the screening for colorectal screen- shows that wait times for disease (stages three or four). Ontario - 416.971.9800 ext. 3383, population, the obesity rate con- ing. The Ontario Government's chemotherapy are starting to ?? The vast majority (97 per l tinues to be a concern. commitment to the increase. [email protected] people get cancer and patients receive bet- [email protected] Minister Best is One in a Million ter care. Dipika Damerla, Sr. Communications For more information visit: www.can- Adviser The Ontario Breast Screening Program Celebrates its 1 Millionth cercare.on.ca. Minister's Office, Ministry of Health Lenore Bromley, Sr. Public Affairs Promotion Health Promotion Minister, 50 year old more treatment options available to them," Advisor, Cancer Care Ontario 416-326-8497, Margarett Best marked an important mile- said Dr. George Pasut, vice president, 416.971.9800 ext. 3383, lenore.brom- [email protected] stone for cancer screening on April 22nd, Prevention and Screening, Cancer Care 2009 as she became the 1 millionth woman Ontario. "While we know the mortality rate screened by the Ontario Breast Screening for women in the target age range with Program (OBSP). "Regular breast screening breast cancer is decreasing, we need to Ontario’s Proposed is an important part of taking care of my continue to work to reach under-screened health and I encourage all women aged 50 populations and to ensure that services are Green Energy Act and over to ask their health care provider if available to continue to meet the growing a mammogram is right for them," said the demand." Expanding Renewable Energy: Accelerating development of Minister. "The OBSP provides women in In 2008, there were just under 1.5 mil- clean, renewable sources of energy, such as wind, solar, hydro, Ontario with mammography services and I lion Ontario women between the ages of biomass, biogas and geothermal.