With more than 500,000 fewer surgeries due to COVID-19, delayed surgeries cost some their lives

There have been some 560,000 fewer surgeries since the start of the pandemic in Canada compared with the pre-pandemic period due to cancellations and delays, according to recent data by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

The largest drop occurred in the first wave of the pandemic, with approximately 370,000 fewer surgeries, according to the report, as health systems tried to cope with the demands of COVID-19.

But the lives of patients with other diseases were left in the lurch. The CIHI data hints at the scope of the problem. And Margaret Lyles' story may be part of the hidden picture.

The 77-year-old from Burlington, Ont. began telling her daughter she was having trouble swallowing in the early part of 2020, as pandemic measures were just starting to go into place. But, as most doctor appointments went virtual, she wasn’t able to get a physician to examine her throat.

Lyles' daughter, Sandra Cox, spoke with CTV News about how the delay in diagnosis may have accelerated her mother’s demise.