Moving to Vancouver Canada, in need of information support

[Soumen79]

hi everyone,

i am 43y pca with bone Mere(details in my profile), is getting work transfer to Canada vancouver,need information that I should know of,I dont have much knowledge about the place and medical system.

please provide me basic information that I should know before I land there.

is there any Canada specific advanced prostate cancer community?

Thanks you all!

[mrscruffy]

I am looking at a move to Costa Rica. I would fly back to states every 6 months for treatment. Assuming I am still stable very workable. If you love your MO like I do then worth it

[Seasid in reply to mrscruffy]

i live in Darlinghurst in Sydney. I moved here so I can be only 400m from my local hospital. Comes very handy to be close to the ER etc.

i would not move to Costa Rica but I like Bad Bunny.

[Darryl Partner]

there are many Canadians here Please feel encouraged to post any Canadian specific concerns

[Seasid]

why didn't you move to Australia?

[Soumen79 in reply to Seasid]

Australia is of course an option, but kind of high volume disease I have, I want to access US facility, not getting us visa is nightmare, so I selected Canada for the proximity and access to .

[Seasid in reply to Soumen79]

You can get the B-visa to stay in the USA after you are enrolled in a clinical trial in the USA.:

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/resu...

you can do it from India.

if i where you I would not go to Vancouver.

[Soumen79 in reply to Seasid]

that is a great point Seaid, is it TRUE for all ct ?

Also, at advanced stage I want to access US doctor expertise, wondering if that is possible with B visa, I thought I will access US doctor from Canada.

truely speaking, with this disease burden I want to be in my motherland but I want to live a few years more also, if possible

my IT job enables mr to travel and relocate across the world. This option makes me thinking.

[Seasid in reply to Soumen79]

the best oncologists in Canada is professor Fred Saad.

[Soumen79 in reply to Seasid]

thnak you sir!

[Seasid in reply to Soumen79]

only in 2023 the Canadians will have available the PSMA PET scans if I understand it well from the posts what I am reading on this forum.

[MateoBeach]

From your profile it appears you are moving from India? If you have health care coverage there I wouldn’t give it up. Maximize options. Does your company offer private health insurance coverage?

[Soumen79 in reply to MateoBeach]

yes, I am moving from India, looking for prostate cancer specialization for my next and intermidiate bouts

No my company will not provide any private insurance, I will have work permit and enroll into provincial heath care

[Seasid in reply to Soumen79]

you will be disappointed in the Canadian health care. They are very much behind.

[gsun in reply to Seasid]

That's bullshit.

[Seasid in reply to gsun]

when will they have the PSMA PET scans available in Canada? One poster from Canada said only next year.

the PSMA PET scan is important if you want to treat an advanced PC.

[gsun in reply to Seasid]

Yes, but I believe there is only one machine here. There is another on the way. There are many in Quebec and a few in Ontario. Can you get one where you are before moving?

[Seasid in reply to gsun]

i am in Sydney I had already 5 PSMA PET scans in a last more than 4 years.

[spw1 in reply to Soumen79]

India offers a lot more options in the private system quicker than in Canada. We used to live in Ontario and were not impressed with the care. Drugs are expensive unless you have private insurance there. Canada gives you free advice but drugs are paid for by the patient or their insurer. Now we live in the UK but if we could, I would fly my husband to India for scans etc. Much cheaper, quicker and efficient.

[Soumen79 in reply to spw1]

cheaper, quicker and efficient, agreed, but India lags behind in the space of clinical trial and hence not many highly specialized doctors, if any at all.

[spw1 in reply to Soumen79]

Yes, re clinical trials etc. maybe you are right about more availability. But not easy out of India either. We are trying to find an appropriate one in the UK and it is a difficult thing.

[Willydad in reply to spw1]

As long as it SOC in your province the drugs are paid for. My ADT drugs, my Zytiga & Prednisone, no out of pocket expense.

[spw1 in reply to Willydad]

Maybe you are right. We were relying on the work insurance and a little top up payment.

[RyderLake2]

Hello,

There is a residency requirement before being able to access the provincial medical plan. Several cities in British Columbia have Cancer Agencies (BCCA). Vancouver, of course, has one. Try looking up the BCCA at Vancouver General Hospital. Although Canada might be behind Australia in the treatment of advanced metastatic PCa, particularly in the field of nuclear medicine, I cannot complain at what has been offered to me over the past 9.5 years. Good luck!

[Leader4077]

Hello

Celesta (“Tia”)Higano is associated with the University of British Columbia. She practiced at the University of Washington for decades and was a world renowned PCa specialist. While she might be retired or close to it, contact her. She would know the best PCa specialists in Vancouver if she did retire.

Mike

[Soumen79 in reply to Leader4077]

thank you Mike, I will remember this.

[gsun]

I am in Vancouver and have had great care. Get to the Prostate Cancer Clinic in the Vancouver General Hospital and you will be in good hands. If you can get to see Dr. Gleave, he is the best around here. Don't see Dr. Black. He is an arrogant prick. The prostate centre is on top of the newest treatments. A facility is being built at the University of BC to produce radio isotopes fo medical use including Lut and Actin. There is a three month waiting period for coverage but you may get a waiver because of the seriousness of the disease. My Luporn and Zytiga are paid for. If you want, please get hold of me. There are support groups in each area of greater Vancouver as well.