The Heather Cutler Foundation is a national nonprofit founded in memory of Heather Cutler, who faced pancreatic cancer with determination, curiosity, and courage. Our mission is to improve outcomes for people affected by this disease — especially those in underrepresented regions of Canada — by tackling the systemic barriers that limit access to timely, effective care.

Heather’s experience navigating the healthcare system in Newfoundland and Labrador revealed major gaps: delays in diagnosis, limited access to clinical trials, and little support for precision medicine. Her first act of advocacy — requesting genetic testing despite having no family history — set the tone for what would become a larger movement. Today, we carry that momentum forward with the same clarity and urgency.

As a young nonprofit, we blend advocacy with creativity, using tools like storytelling, policy research, and digital media to bring attention to the barriers people face. From educational campaigns and public policy submissions to grassroots petitions and multimedia advocacy reels, we work across platforms to drive engagement and action.

Our approach is both evidence-informed and community-led. We collaborate with researchers, clinicians, caregivers, and people living with pancreatic cancer to elevate lived experience and challenge the status quo. We emphasize access to somatic testing, clinical trials, and guideline-based care — especially in provinces that remain underserved or left out entirely.

The Heather Cutler Foundation exists because no one should have to fight for basic access to care in a system meant to protect them. We believe better is possible — and we’re building a future where where outcomes aren’t determined by postal code, income, or geography.