beyond survival: why cancer care needs to focus on living well
after two diagnoses by age 30, toronto entrepreneur tori puras is urging cancer care providers to think beyond treatment and focus on patients’ quality of life
published jun 03, 2026
4 minute read
4 minute read
before cancer, tori says, she hadn’t given much thought to quality of life. then cancer disrupted nearly every part of hers. nick kozak
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merck canada
this story was created by content works, postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of a client.
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today, tori puras is cancer-free. but recovery, she says, is not the same thing as returning to the life she once knew.
years after being diagnosed with breast cancer twice before the age of 31, the toronto entrepreneur came to understand that the impact of cancer extends far beyond treatment itself. the physical recovery from surgery was only part of it; there was also the emotional toll, the disruption to daily life, the ongoing medical monitoring and the challenge of rebuilding a sense of normalcy afterward.
those realities, according to puras, are too often overlooked in a health-care system focused primarily on diagnosis and survival. the goal, she says, shouldn’t just be to keep people alive; it should be to help them live well.
her experience reflects the broader reality of what is sometimes referred to as the “real cost” of cancer — not only the disease itself, but the long-term disruption to work, finances, relationships, identity and daily life.
according to the canadian cancer society, canadians diagnosed with cancer can face tens of thousands of dollars in combined out-of-pocket expenses and lost income during treatment and recovery. but the burden often extends far beyond finances: appointments dictate schedules, routines revolve around recovery, and life becomes organized around the uncertainty of what comes next.
for puras, that reality began at 25.
with a family history of breast cancer, the toronto-based entrepreneur had already been undergoing regular screenings since her early twenties, including ultrasounds every few months and annual mris.
when one tumour began to raise questions, puras pushed for further testing. “i was in pain,” she recalls. “i said to my doctor, ‘even if it is benign, can we just remove it?’ i didn’t want to come off as a difficult patient, but i got frustrated. i wanted answers.”
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puras underwent a lumpectomy and insisted the tumour be sent to pathology. the diagnosis: breast cancer, specifically a non-invasive ductal carcinoma.
the resulting treatment, which included radiation and a year of intensive hormone therapy requiring regular injections and frequent hospital visits, was gruelling. “that was the part,” she says, “that really kicked my butt.”
five years later, at 30, the cancer returned. this time, it was invasive. though it had not spread beyond the breast, her oncologist recommended an immediate double mastectomy. “i felt i didn’t have a choice,” puras says.
the surgery and the recovery that followed fundamentally changed her understanding of cancer care. at one point, she was unable to get out of bed without help. “my husband had to carry me to the bathroom,” she says.
even after the physical healing, the effects lingered. “i was exhausted for a year,” she says. “my body just wasn’t catching up.”
as she worked to regain mobility, manage pain and cope with ongoing fatigue, puras’ understanding of what it means to live well began to shift.
in oncology, “quality of life” generally refers to a person’s physical, emotional and social well-being, including their ability to maintain relationships, participate in daily activities and feel mentally and physically well. but as puras discovered, those priorities are deeply personal and can shift dramatically after a diagnosis.
before cancer, she says, she hadn’t given much thought to quality of life. then cancer disrupted nearly every part of hers.
beyond the physical and psychological impact of losing a body part, there were quieter, compounding challenges: the isolation of being decades younger than most patients in the waiting room; navigating care designed primarily for older, post-menopausal women; and hesitating to speak up about side effects or emotional strain for fear of being dismissed.
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and there were the lingering realities patients are often left to navigate alone.
“they don’t tell you anything,” she says. “there’s a whole other bucket of symptoms, especially as a woman, that no one prepares you for.”
these days, puras is using her experience, and her platform as the founder of a creative agency, to advocate not only for early detection but for a broader definition of what successful cancer care should look like. “for example, i would love to see workshops for your specific diagnosis and age, because someone like me was in a completely different situation from a woman in her 50s or 60s.”
she wants patients, particularly younger women, to trust their instincts and push for answers. “check yourself. if something feels off, push,” she says. “best case scenario? your test comes back negative, and you’re able to move on with that peace of mind.”
but she also wants the health-care system to better recognize what happens outside the clinic. this means stronger mental health supports, more honest conversations around body image and recovery, and resources tailored to younger patients whose experiences often fall outside traditional models of care.
it means recognizing that returning to everyday life is not secondary to treatment; it is part of recovery itself.
“find someone who gets it,” she advises, reflecting on the peer support that helped her navigate her diagnosis. “having that safe space to ask questions can change everything.”
her message to patients, and to the system, is ultimately the same: survival should not be the only measure of success.
for puras, success looks different from what it once did. today, it means feeling healthy and sharing her experience to help others who are navigating cancer recovery. “i’m thriving, doing my own thing,” she says. “and i want to other young patients get the message that it’s okay to advocate for yourself and ask for the help you need.”
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any opinions expressed in this content are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent or reflect those of merck canada.
this story was created by healthing content works, healthing.ca’s commercial content division, on behalf of merck canada.
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