The Heather Cutler Foundation

The Heather Cutler Foundation is a Canadian nonprofit organization headquartered in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador. Established in 2024, the Foundation is dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for Canadians diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It was founded in memory of Heather Cutler, whose experience with the disease highlighted systemic gaps in access to care. The Foundation works at the intersection of public policy, precision medicine, and lived experience—advancing national conversations on clinical trial access, drug and research funding, molecular profiling, and support for Canadians living with pancreatic cancer. Through coalition building and advocacy initiatives, including petitions and federal policy engagement, the organization brings visibility to systemic gaps in care, especially in provinces outside major urban centres. In 2025, the Foundation launched ‘Pancreatic Cancer Policy Builders of Tomorrow’, a pilot policy research program and training initiative for undergraduate students at Memorial University of Newfoundland. The program is designed to engage the next generation of policymakers and researchers in exploring the complex challenges facing Canadians with pancreatic cancer, with a particular focus on access and equity outside of major urban centres. It features a stakeholder speaker series and integrated mentorship from professionals in health research and policy. The program culminates in an annual public report and a formal policy submission to the Standing Committee on Health. The Foundation is a member of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition and Cancer Action Now, with collaborations across Canada’s cancer advocacy and research community.