Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network mourns the passing of Christine McKay, Patient Working Group Member

It is with deep sadness that we share the news that Christine McKay, a member of our Patient Working Group, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2025, at the age of 68.

Based in Carleton Place, Ontario, Christine joined the Patient Working Group in September 2024 and quickly became a thoughtful and passionate voice within our Network. A lifelong advocate for justice and equity, she brought to our work a sharp intellect, deep compassion and unwavering commitment to use her experience to make cancer care better for others.

Christine was a retired social worker, addictions counsellor and author. She was also a seasoned patient advocate who played an active role on several national advisory boards, including the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance and the Canadian Breast Cancer Network. She lent her voice to multiple cancer research grants, moderated an online support group for people living with lobular breast cancer in Canada, and championed the need for expanded access to genomic testing for all cancer patients—especially those in underserved regions.

Christine’s 12-and-a-half-year journey with lobular breast cancer was marked by courage, resilience and advocacy. Her interest in the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network stemmed from a belief that sharing her experiences and knowledge—particularly about rare or under-recognized cancers—was essential to advancing precision oncology. She was especially supportive of initiatives like the Gold Cohort, which she saw as a powerful step toward equity and progress in cancer research and served as a patient liaison for Co-designing an intervention to support people living with and beyond a metastatic cancer diagnosis, a project funded through the Patient Voices in Research Initiative.

Beyond her advocacy, Christine was a person of wide-ranging interests: she was an avid reader, traveler and artist. She collected art, jewellery, vintage clothing and furniture and loved dogs, public libraries, mosaic-making and gardening. Her life was rich with curiosity, colour and connection.

Christine will be deeply missed. Her voice, her conviction and her compassion have left an indelible mark on our Network.

As a Network, we will honour her legacy by doing our best to bring precision oncology to all cancer patients in Canada, regardless of who they are and where they live.

Please join us in extending our heartfelt condolences to Christine’s family, friends and fellow Working Group members during this time of loss.