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$49.3 million advances cancer research and care in B.C.

June 16, 2016

Found in News

VANCOUVER, B.C.  – At the Annual General Meeting, the BC Cancer Foundation announced $49.3 million raised for the BC Cancer Agency this year: the result of 95,000 generous individuals.

Funds raised allowed the Foundation to invest a record amount into research and enhancements to care this year with donors advancing more than 400 research projects at the BC Cancer Agency. The impact is felt by patients entering the clinic as research placed new treatment solutions and prognostic tests in the hands of oncologists.

“Together, with our donors and the incredibly talented scientists and clinicians at the BC Cancer Agency, we are helping improve the lives of cancer patients,” says Sarah Roth, President & CEO, BC Cancer Foundation.

Highlights include:

  • Funding supported 800 cancer researchers in B.C.
  • Two major prostate cancer studies launched to improve treatment solutions for patients.
  • Two clinical investigator awards allow experts to investigate rare blood cancer and endometrial cancer.
  • Genomic profiling of 1,000 lymphoma cancers in an effort to bring personalized solutions to every patient in B.C.
  • 273 patients enrolled in the world-leading Personalized Onco-Genomics (POG) program to identify new treatment options.

Enabling donors to transform cancer care through research is at the core of the BC Cancer Foundation’s mission. People like David Zacks who lost his wife Susan to lung cancer in late 2015, are motivated to make a difference. He started a fundraising initiative with a personal gift and rallied family and friends to give in memory of Susan. His efforts led to more than $100,000 to advance lung cancer research for the benefit of others.

“My wife received extraordinary care from the BC Cancer Agency, one of the best centres in the world. The doctors, nurses and technicians did everything and tried everything they could for my wife. Raising funds for research and volunteering on the Board is the least that I can do in her memory,” says Zacks.

A Director on the Foundation Board, Zacks also lost his mother to multiple myeloma 18 years ago. To help advance long term health for British Columbians he is chairing the 2016 Hope Couture fashion show and luncheon, this year raising funds to bring precision treatment to all lymphoid cancer patients in B.C.

Closing off a successful term of leadership under Greg D’Avignon, the BC Cancer Foundation Board welcomed Andrew Sweeney as Chair. Directors Alice Laberge and Murray Leith joined the Board, which includes: Randy Bartsch, Mary Buttery, Carl Roy, Michael Heskin, Doug Holtby, Michael Kennedy, Dean Kirkham, Dr. Malcolm Moore, Derrold Norgaard, Jatinder Rai, Andrea Shaw, Randy Smallwood, Shane Worman and David Zacks.

The BC Cancer Foundation and Board thank outgoing Directors; Robert Conconi, Joanne McLeod and Kirsten Tisdale for their years of contribution to the organization and B.C.’s cancer community.

The BC Cancer Foundation’s 2016 Impact Report is available online along with audited financial statements.

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Media enquiries please contact:
Allison Colina
Communications Manager
t. 604-707-5934
e. allison.colina@bccancer.bc.ca

The BC Cancer Foundation is the bridge that connects philanthropic support and research breakthroughs in cancer knowledge.  As the fundraising partner of the BC Cancer Agency and the largest charitable funder of cancer research in this province, we enable donors to make contributions to leading-edge research that has a direct impact on improvements to cancer care for patients in British Columbia. We fund with the goal of finding solutions. Visit www.bccancerfoundation.com to make a donation or to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer.