Cancer care in Bermuda is changing, and so are the needs of the people and families living through it.

More people are living longer with cancer. Diagnoses are becoming more complex. More families are navigating not just treatment decisions but uncertainty, disruption and long-term impact. At the same time, Bermuda’s ageing population and rising global cancer rates mean demand for cancer services, support and co-ordinated care will continue to grow.

Each year in Bermuda, more than 300 people have cancer diagnosed, a number that reflects both the scale of need and the growing importance of a system that can respond effectively and compassionately.

But cancer care is not a single moment, not a single treatment.

It is about everything that surrounds it, prevention and early detection, timely diagnostics, co-ordinated care, emotional and psychological support, palliative care, survivorship, and helping people to navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

For many patients, the greatest challenges are not always clinical. They are human.

Where do I go next?

Who can help me understand what this means?

Where will I be treated?

How will this affect my family?

Can I afford what comes next?

These questions highlight a simple truth: cancer care must be built around people, not systems.

One of the clearest lessons we have learnt in Bermuda is that access to care close to home matters profoundly.

Before local radiation therapy was available, Bermudians were forced overseas for treatment at significant emotional and financial cost.

Receiving care locally reduces emotional strain, financial burden and disruption to family life at an already overwhelming time. It enables patients to remain supported by loved ones, maintain a sense of normalcy and focus more fully on their wellbeing.

We have seen first-hand how access to local diagnostics, radiation therapy, oncology nursing and patient navigation has transformed the experience of cancer for many in our community. Patients and families consistently tell us that being able to remain in Bermuda during treatment has made a meaningful difference to their quality of life.

These experiences are shaping how we think about the future.

At Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, our focus is not only on expanding services, but on strengthening the entire cancer journey, improving access, enhancing co-ordination and ensuring patients feel supported at every stage. This includes continued investment in clinical capability, technology, local and international partnerships, and the systems that connect care more effectively.

Because local access, on its own, is not enough.

The future of cancer care in Bermuda will not be defined by any single organisation. It will be defined by how well we connect and care around the people who need it.

That means smoother transitions between screening, diagnostics, treatment and supportive care. It means better communication and co-ordination across providers. It means ensuring that no patient feels lost while navigating a complex and often overwhelming system.

In short, it means designing care that is patient-centred.

This is where collaboration becomes essential.

Strengthening cancer care in Bermuda requires partnerships across healthcare providers, community organisations, government, donors and the wider public. It requires shared responsibility, long-term thinking, and a commitment to building something that is sustainable, responsive and centred on the needs of our community.

It also requires us to confront an important reality: access to care must be equitable.

Through BCHC’s Equal Access Fund and subsidised services, thousands of patients have been able to access screening, diagnostics and treatment who may otherwise have delayed care.

No one should delay screening, diagnosis or treatment because of financial barriers or uncertainty about where to turn. Early detection improves outcomes but only when people can access care.

Programmes that reduce financial barriers, improve awareness and encourage earlier engagement with care remain critical. So too does continued investment in infrastructure, workforce and innovation to ensure Bermuda is prepared for the future.

There is still much work to do.

Cancer will continue to affect thousands of people across our island in the years ahead. But there is also reason for optimism. We are seeing growing awareness around prevention and early detection, increasing recognition of the importance of co-ordinated care, and tangible progress in expanding local access to services.

We are also seeing something just as important — a shared understanding that cancer care is not defined by a single moment or intervention but by the entire experience of the patient.

Ultimately, the strength of Bermuda’s cancer-care system will be measured not only by the treatments we provide but by how well we support people through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

Because cancer care is not a single service.

It is a continuum of care, co-ordination, compassion and community. And building that future will require all of us working together.

• Chris Fosker is the chief executive and medical director of Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre. This op-ed is part of the Third Sector Spotlight Series, a collective campaign co-ordinated by the Non-Profit Alliance of Bermuda. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the value, impact and contributions of Bermuda’s non-profit sector