Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Canada, yet many recent studies have drawn attention to problems in cancer control, such as long waiting times for treatment, inequitable access to care, and variations in treatment. An Element of Hope traces the early development of cancer programs in Canada from the discovery of radium in 1898 to the end of World War II. During this period radium emerged as a promising new therapy and governments sought to mount a societal response to cancer.

Charles Hayter chronicles the work of Canadian provinces in establishing the cancer programs that remain the framework for modern systems. Focusing on the compromises these programs required, which anticipated later conflicts over Medicare, Hayter concludes by revealing the historical roots of current problems in cancer care.