Early Detection Gave Luana Hope for the Future

“My attitude toward survival has shifted significantly because of The Princess Margaret.”

While every cancer journey is different, Luana Locke’s is truly one of a kind and demonstrates the power of early detection. At the age of 25, while pregnant with her first child, Luana Locke was diagnosed with breast cancer. That diagnosis triggered genetic testing which revealed even more devastating news. She had a rare hereditary disorder, Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), that comes with an almost 100% chance of developing cancer again in her lifetime.

Breakthroughs in early detection at The Princess Margaret are the reason Luana has now survived cancer six times. Each time, the cancer was discovered in its earliest stages and successfully treated. “My attitude toward survival has shifted significantly because of The Princess Margaret,” said Luana. Currently, she is happily cancer-free.

Dr. Raymond Kim, Medical Director of Cancer Early Detection and the Bhalwani Familial Cancer Clinic at The Princess Margaret, has been a trusted physician to Luana for the past 10 years.  “Early detection is the surest path to curing cancer,” Dr. Kim explains. “By advancing technologies like new imaging techniques and liquid biopsies, we can diagnose cancer at its earliest stages. These approaches are far less invasive than traditional methods, such as surgery-based biopsies. Precision cancer care guided by genetics allows us to create personalized treatment plans, giving patients a better chance at longer, healthier lives.”

Requiring only a blood draw, the technology of liquid biopsies is set to transform health outcomes for thousands of cancer patients around the world. This innovative technique, pioneered at The Princess Margaret, works by detecting tiny fragments of cancer DNA that have been shed by tumours into a patient’s bloodstream.

Dr. Kim also highlights the critical role of fundraising in making these breakthroughs possible. “None of this would happen without the support of our donor community. Philanthropy drives the early detection research that enables patients to live free from the fear of cancer.”