The Heather Cutler Foundation

05/06/2026

Today is Hope Air Day. 💜✈️

When someone in Newfoundland and Labrador is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the road ahead is overwhelming — and for many, it’s also a long one. Specialist consultations, surgical assessments, and treatment often mean travelling to St. John’s, Halifax, or beyond. That travel comes with real costs that families facing a devastating diagnosis shouldn’t have to carry alone.

For 40 years, Hope Air has been helping Canadians in rural and remote communities reach the healthcare they need by providing free flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and meals — at no cost to the patient.

Hope Air is exactly the kind of resource every patient and caregiver should know about. No one should miss an appointment because they can’t afford to get there.

Learn more about Hope Air Day: hopeair.ca/hopeairday

05/05/2026

💜 Some wonderful news to share with our HCF family.

We are thrilled to welcome Rida Salahuddin to the Heather Cutler Foundation Board of Directors as our new Youth Director. Our board voted unanimously to bring her on, and we couldn’t be happier.

Rida came to us through an incredible organization called Fora: Network for Change, which trains young women to step into leadership roles on nonprofit boards across Canada. We’re so grateful to Fora for the introduction — and for believing HCF was the right home for someone of Rida’s calibre.

So who is Rida? She’s a university student at McMaster studying her way toward a career in healthcare, and she’s already founded four nonprofits of her own — focused on youth, refugees, food security, and the arts. She has given a TEDx talk, volunteered with humanitarian organizations, and worked alongside patients as a Physiotherapy Assistant at her local hospital. She speaks three languages. And she’s just getting started.

When we lost Heather, we made a promise to build something that would carry her spirit forward — patient-centred, hopeful, and unafraid to do the hard work. Rida embodies all of that.

Please join us in welcoming her to the family. 💜

05/05/2026

Today, May 5, 2026, marks two years since Heather Cutler’s passing from pancreatic cancer. Heather’s son, Christopher Cutler — Founder and Executive Director of the Heather Cutler Foundation — wrote the following reflection from Shanghai.

Two years ago I lost the person who loved me most in the world.

The statistics for Canadians diagnosed with pancreatic cancer haven’t meaningfully changed since. The conversations have — and I don’t mean that abstractly. I mean from inside the rooms. Working committees. Tables with leaders from across the country. Engaging with institutions, charities, and non-profits who are starting to name the gap between what sounds good on paper and what an Atlantic Canadian can actually access.

What that lens gives you is the ability to shut a conversation down quickly. When someone references clinical trial access or biomarker testing as if it’s a settled question, I know within seconds whether what’s being described will actually reach an Atlantic Canadian patient — or whether we’re describing something that will never make it east of Ontario. During my mother’s journey you become acutely aware of what is an option and what isn’t, and the reasons, and the excuses, behind both. That awareness doesn’t leave you.

One of the things I learned quickly is that my voice alone isn’t enough. I’ve been lucky to work with a close team of extremely talented people. At our first in-person board meeting, Moshfeka walked in with an embroidered piece of art and a goodie bag for everyone. That’s the kind of team I get to work with — people who excel at what they do and still bring their whole hearts to the room. I think every day about how much my mom would have loved Moshfeka and Nazanin. There have been so many signs that she’s watching.

That’s why The Heather Cutler Foundation isn’t trying to be everything. It’s trying to be targeted, intentional, and well thought out. It’s why we’ve spend months of endless planning, perfecting and preparing for what we’re about to announce. The work we are doing now will move the needle. Not overnight — but it will move it, and it will move it for the people whose postal code currently decides their options.

I was never meant to be in this position. I was set on moving back to Japan after graduating. You make plans, and life laughs at them.

HCF will outlast me. Not because of me — because of the people around it, and because this was never about money. It’s about a legacy in my mother’s name. It’s about a promise— to everyone else out there waking up today and hearing the words, “You have pancreatic cancer.” I will sit in as many rooms, at as many meetings and conversations as it takes.

Two years feels like two years, Mom. It feels long. I love you.

04/23/2026

As National Volunteer Week continues, we want you to meet someone who means a lot to this foundation. 💜

Moshfeka got connected with us through the NVOLVE program after graduating from MUN. She started as a volunteer social media manager, helping us share our story and build community around the work we were doing. As she got more involved, the foundation joined the Thriving Nonprofits program, and Moshfeka was part of that process — learning alongside us about what it takes to keep a small charity running beyond the early stages.

Earlier this week we said this foundation would not exist without its volunteers, and Moshfeka's journey is a perfect example of what we meant. She came in with her skills and her time, and she stayed because the mission was worth staying for. That kind of commitment is something you can't manufacture — people give it when the work is real.

Thank you, Moshfeka. For showing up, for growing with us, and for leading.

If you've been looking for a way to use your skills for something that matters, we're always looking for people who want to be part of what we're building. 👉 heathercutler.ca/volunteer

04/20/2026

It's National Volunteer Week 💜 and we need to tell you something about the people behind The Heather Cutler Foundation.

We're a tiny organization doing enormous things — a federal petition presented in the House of Commons, new programs and services in development for Canadians with pancreatic cancer and their families, and 1,000 pancreas cookies handed out at Pride in the Park last summer. (Every. Single. One. Gone.)

But here's what's really driving all of it: volunteers. Specifically — and this matters — so many of them are newcomers to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Since our very beginning, newcomers have been at the heart of this foundation. On our board. In our policy research program. Working on our programs and services right now. They helped us get our charitable status across the finish line. Dozens of newcomers have given their time, their expertise, and their belief to something that simply would not exist without them.

We are beyond humbled. And we don't say that lightly.

A huge thank you to the team at Community Sector Council Newfoundland and Labrador for the incredible work they do through NVOLVE — connecting newcomers to meaningful volunteer opportunities across the province. What CSCNL builds makes what we build possible.

This week, Volunteer Canada is asking Canadians to Ignite Volunteerism — and in the UN International Year of Volunteers, that call feels especially personal.

If you've been looking for your thing — a way to use your skills for something that matters — we're looking for you. Researchers. Writers. Communicators. People who care about cancer equity and want to help build something real.

👉 heathercutler.ca/volunteer

To everyone who has already shown up: thank you doesn't cover it, but we'll keep saying it anyway. 💜

04/14/2026

This is the news we've been waiting for. 💜

For decades, the mutation that drives more than 90% of pancreatic cancers was considered impossible to target. Scientists called it "undruggable." Today, results from a major clinical trial suggest that's no longer true — and that a new pill called daraxonrasib may approximately double survival for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

For families who have watched a loved one face this disease, we know what "more time" means. It's not a statistic. It's birthdays. It's conversations. It's being there.

There is still a long road ahead — FDA approval, and then the journey to get new treatments accessible to Canadian patients. But today is a good day, and we wanted to share it with you.

Sharing from Pancreatic Cancer Action Network 👇

A new therapy that targets RAS mutations present in more than 90% of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma — the most common type of pancreatic cancer — approximately doubles overall survival according to clinical trial results announced today. 🧪

Revolution Medicines shared Phase III clinical trial results for a pill called daraxonrasib in patients with previously treated metastatic . For decades, RAS was considered “undruggable,” meaning that there was no effective way to target RAS. These results greatly expand the potential benefit of targeted therapies for patients with pancreatic cancer.

PanCAN Chief Scientific and Medical Officer Anna Berkenblit, MD, MMSc, shares, “We are standing at the threshold of groundbreaking treatments for patients with pancreatic cancer. Today’s announcement represents a real opportunity to bring new hope for people facing this disease: hope for more time with family, hope for better quality of life and hope that ongoing and future research may ultimately lead to a cure.” 💜

Next, Revolution Medicines will need to take their data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If the FDA grants approval for daraxonrasib, it will be made available as a treatment for patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who have been previously treated.

For what you need to know about this news, visit 🔗 http://pcan.at/rjul9sza.

03/17/2026

Health Canada is updating the rules around clinical trials in Canada. The Heather Cutler Foundation put in a formal submission. We’re not going to pretend one submission changes everything. But we said what needed to be said, on the record, on behalf of Canadians with pancreatic cancer in Atlantic Canada.

Here’s what we asked for:

⏱️ A maximum review timeline for trial approvals.
Canadians with Pancreatic cancer survive an average of 6 to 12 months after diagnosis. If approving a trial takes longer than that, many never get the chance to enrol. Health Canada is proposing to remove an existing deadline without replacing it with anything. We asked them to commit to a defined maximum timeline. That’s it. A deadline.

🏥 Clearer rules so smaller hospitals can actually run trials.
Smaller Atlantic institutions face serious administrative barriers just to participate in national research programs. We asked for clearer, more specific guidance so local hospitals aren’t shut out because they don’t have a dedicated regulatory team.

📊 Track where patients live — not just who they are.
Health Canada is starting to collect demographic data on trial participants, which is a step forward. But they’re not tracking rural or remote location. That means entire communities remain invisible in the data that drives future decisions. We asked them to close that gap.

This came out of ten months of policy research by student volunteers in our Pancreatic Cancer Policy Builders of Tomorrow program. We submitted what the evidence pointed to. Whether it moves the needle is up to Health Canada.

The consultation closes April 19, 2026. There is still time to submit if your organization has something to say.

03/05/2026

Volunteer Spotlight: Rayah 💜

We’re continuing our ‘double-feature’ volunteer spotlight month by highlighting another incredible student volunteer supporting the work of The Heather Cutler Foundation.

Meet Rayah, a Behavioural Neuroscience student at Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador who is beginning her honours research in embodied cognition, exploring how the brain and environment interact to shape perception.

Rayah joined the Foundation through the Memorial University Student Volunteer Bureau, and growing up in Clarenville, NL gives her a perspective shaped by the realities many rural patients face. She has seen how geography can influence access to care, including the travel, costs, and delays that often come with seeking specialized treatment. That experience is part of what motivates her work with the Foundation.

Through her research with our team, Rayah has been studying how cancer care systems operate across Canada, who the key stakeholders are, and where gaps exist that impact patients and families. One of the most surprising things she discovered is just how fragmented cancer care coordination can be across provinces, something that can create real challenges for patients navigating the system.

You might also recognize Rayah from the NL Health Services Innovation Summit, where she was part of our team when we proudly took home third place last year.

Rayah hopes to one day combine hands-on patient care with health advocacy, using both clinical experience and policy understanding to support underserved communities.

We’ll be sharing Rayah’s full interview on our blog during the second week of March, where she talks more about rural healthcare access, advocacy, and what inspires her to pursue medicine.

Thank you, Rayah, for being part of The Heather Cutler Foundation community. 💜

03/01/2026

🌟 Volunteer Spotlight: Kimia Rezaeinejad

This month, we’re proud to feature Kimia Rezaeinejad, a fourth-year Honours Chemistry student at Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador and a member of our Pancreatic Cancer Policy Research Project (Policy Builders Program).

With a 3.8 GPA, published research experience, and recognition including the Dermot O’Reilly Award, Kimia brings both academic excellence and a strong sense of purpose to her volunteer work.

🔬 Science with impact
Kimia’s background in environmental and analytical chemistry — including research on pollutants like PFAS — has shaped her belief that science should directly inform public policy. Through the Policy Builders program, she has been mapping pancreatic cancer organizations, services, and policy frameworks across Canada to identify where support exists — and where critical gaps remain.

Her research has highlighted something many Canadians don’t see: access to cancer care is uneven across provinces. Outcomes should not depend on postal code. For Kimia, pancreatic cancer advocacy is about equity.

📊 From lab bench to policy table
Balancing academics, research, teaching, and advocacy requires discipline. Kimia sees these commitments not as competing priorities, but as interconnected:
• Science provides the tools
• Advocacy provides the purpose
• Volunteer work keeps the human impact front and centre

Through more than 30 hours of STEM outreach, and as a PAL Leader and Teaching Assistant, she has developed the ability to translate complex science into accessible language — a skill that is critical in health policy.

🌍 Local roots, national perspective
From volunteering at the St. John's Farmers' Market and Campus Food Bank to contributing to national policy research, Kimia understands that meaningful change connects community engagement with systemic reform.

Growing up in Iran and now living in Newfoundland and Labrador, she brings a lived understanding of equity, cultural diversity, and the realities newcomers face navigating healthcare systems.

💬 Her message to young Canadians — especially women in STEM:
“You don’t need to wait until you feel fully qualified to get involved in advocacy. Start where you are. Use your skills. You’ll grow into the role.”

If she could change one thing about pancreatic cancer care in Canada, it would be this: consistent, dedicated funding for research and support programs so families do not face a “postcode lottery” when it comes to care.

To families affected by pancreatic cancer, Kimia shares a simple but powerful message: You are not alone.

We are grateful for Kimia’s leadership, resilience, and commitment to evidence-based advocacy.

📖 Read her full interview next week on heathercutler.ca.

02/25/2026

We’re proud to share an huge milestone for The Heather Cutler Foundation.

Our application has been approved by the Canada Revenue Agency, and we are now officially a registered federal charity as of February 19, 2026!

Registered Charity Number:
743014227 RR 0001

This marks the successful completion of our transition into a federally registered charity and allows us to move forward with expanded programs, partnerships, and sustainable funding to support Canadians and families affected by pancreatic cancer.

With charitable status in place, the Foundation can now:

• Issue official charitable tax receipts
• Apply for grants and charitable funding
• Expand patient-support and education programs
• Build long-term partnerships across healthcare and community sectors

We are so lucky to be working with EnTec Consulting, NL Business Centre Dawn Gough JM Faith over the next eight weeks to develop our formal business and growth plan. This will help guide our programs, staffing, and fundraising strategy as we move into our second year and focus on building a stable, sustainable organization.

What began as a small grassroots effort in memory of Heather Cutler has grown into a structured charity focused on patient support, public education, and reducing barriers to care. This milestone reflects the work of our volunteers, board members, and community who have helped bring the Foundation to this point.

Formal written confirmation from the CRA will follow, and we will continue updating our website and public materials in the coming weeks.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Foundation so far — we’re just getting started.