Vancouver Island

Transforming research and care, from Victoria to Nanaimo and beyond.

Help transform the future of cancer care for patients and their families.

Current Priorities

Expand Immunotherapy Research

BC Cancer’s provincial immunotherapy program, with its flagship lab at BC Cancer – Victoria’s Deeley Research Centre, is dedicated to developing the next generation of CAR-T immunotherapies. The program uses genetically engineered T-cells from a patient’s own body to attack and destroy cancer cells.

BC Cancer is at the forefront of this groundbreaking field, advancing research through:

Participation in a Phase I/II trial using made-in-Canada CAR-T cells for relapsed leukemia and lymphoma
Preparing to launch a Phase I trial of CAR-T cell therapy for pancreatic cancer
Development of new CAR-T cell therapies for leukemia, lymphoma and gynecologic cancers
Collaboration with national and international partners to expand CAR-T research and enhance treatment delivery for children and adults

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New BC Cancer Centre in Nanaimo

A new BC Cancer centre is under development in Nanaimo, expanding access to cancer care on Vancouver Island. The BC Cancer Foundation will be fundraising to bring state-of-the-art equipment to the new centre.

The new BC Cancer centre in Nanaimo will:

Include radiation therapy, PET/CT, CT simulator, exam rooms and an ambulatory care unit
Complete 20,000 radiation treatment visits per year, diverting local patients from needing to travel to Victoria to access care
Bring life-saving care closer to home for patients north of the Malahat

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BC Cancer – Victoria Ernie & Yvonne Yakimovich Integrated Care and Research Pavilion

BC Cancer – Victoria is expanding its campus, a 12,000 square foot building just 250 metres from the existing facilities. The purchase and renovation of the building will be fully donor-funded – a first in BC Cancer Foundation history.

The new building will create a standalone space for the centre’s Supportive Care services – programs that help patients manage the adverse physical and psychological side effects of cancer.

The BC Cancer – Victoria Ernie & Yvonne Yakimovich Integrated Care and Research Pavilion will:

Enhance and expand the centre’s Supportive Care programs to meet the needs of patients and families
Create a healing environment for cancer patients and families while accessing Supportive Care services
Establish BC Cancer – Victoria as model for holistic cancer care, leading to improved outcomes and quality of life for people across the Island

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Launch Cutting-Edge Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial

BC Cancer – Victoria researchers are launching ADAPT-25 – a cutting-edge prostate cancer clinical trial harnessing the power of AI and SABR (a high-precision radiation therapy).

This trial builds on the centre’s leadership in prostate cancer research, with recently published research reducing treatments from six to eight weeks of daily radiation to five doses of SABR.

This cutting-edge clinical trial is seeking to:

Reduce the number of SABR treatments from five to just two doses, with the help of AI, while maintaining highly effective disease control and fewer side effects
Improve quality of life for patients, particularly those outside Victoria, by reducing the physical, emotional and financial burden of travelling for care
Help expand BC Cancer’s capacity to deliver timely radiation treatments for all patients

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To learn more about how you can support priorities on Vancouver Island, please contact William Litchfield at william.litchfield@bccancer.bc.ca or 250.667.8690.

Thank You to Our Donors

Randy Berg

From joining a BC Cancer clinical trial to taking part in the Cypress Challenge, Randy Berg’s legacy of courage and generosity lives on as his loved ones honour his memory with a donation to the Foundation.

Josephine (Jo) Campbell

Jo Campbell was a passionate advocate for cancer care and a dedicated supporter of BC Cancer – Victoria. Her family’s commitment began in 2001 when Jo’s husband, Alex, chaired the Daring to Believe campaign which founded the centre. A decade later, Alex and Jo led a $10 million fundraising campaign to expand BC Cancer – Victoria, creating a lasting impact on cancer care for Vancouver Islanders. Today their children, Bonnie, Lorne and Alex Jr., continue the legacy by supporting new spaces for BC Cancer’s supportive care programs.

Words of Thanks from Dr. Howard Joe

"Thanks to your generous support, I was able to pursue specialized training that’s already improving patient care. Our centre has two advanced ultrasound machines, originally used for treating prostate, cervical, and uterine cancers. But we couldn’t use them to their full potential without a special probe for surface-level imaging. Your donations made it possible to buy this important piece of equipment. These improvements mean faster, more accurate care for our patients." - Dr. Howard Joe, radiation oncologist at BC Cancer – Victoria

Andrew Beckerman

Inspired by his graduate school experience, Andrew Beckman is helping shape the next generation of scientists through his matching gift and graduate stipends at the Deeley Research Centre.

Dr. Brad Nelson at work inside the Deeley Research Centre’s Conconi Family Immunotherapy Lab.

Deeley Research Centre Donors

Made possible by two decades of donor support, BC Cancer – Victoria’s Deeley Research Centre brings hope to patients on Vancouver Island and beyond through cutting-edge immunotherapy clinical trials.

Dr. Brad Nelson at the Deeley Research Centre

Bringing Game-Changing Innovation to Vancouver Island

“Donor support will enable us to develop a world class immunotherapy clinic right here on the island, ensuring BC Cancer patients have access to the latest game-changing cancer treatments developed locally and around the world.”

Dr. Brad Nelson
Director & Distinguished Scientist
BC Cancer — Victoria