BC Cancer Foundation Launches Historic $500 Million Fundraising Campaign to Take Cancer Research and Care Beyond Belief

• Launching the most ambitious and comprehensive health campaign in British Columbia’s history
• One in two British Columbians will face cancer in their lifetime, and the demand for cancer care is expected to increase 60% over the next decade

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The BC Cancer Foundation has today announced the launch of the historic $500 million Beyond Belief fundraising campaign to advance cancer research and enhance care across British Columbia. In anticipation of this launch, the Foundation has secured over $250 million in donations from the generous community of philanthropists in B.C.

“With the launch of the Beyond Belief campaign, every British Columbian has the opportunity to be part of a transformational moment for cancer research and care, not just in our province, but nationally and globally,” says Sarah Roth, President & CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation. “I am so proud to see our community and donors mobilizing to support and advance this important work.”

“On behalf of everyone at BC Cancer, we’d like to thank the people of British Columbia for supporting our work through this important campaign,” said Dr. Kim Chi, Chief Medical Officer, BC Cancer. “This is the most exciting time in the history of cancer research – and B.C. is positioned to make the seemingly impossible, possible.”

The campaign targets three key priorities: advancing innovation, activating the world’s best and accelerating access.

Advancing Innovation

The science around cancer care is accelerating with breakthroughs coming faster and faster — now is the time to support that innovation. If this momentum continues, it’s possible many cancers will be manageable diseases within the next 10 years.

Through donor support and BC Cancer’s internationally-recognized scientists, B.C. has been at the forefront of cancer research for decades with many notable treatment and prevention methods developed and discovered in the province, including:

• The first effective surgery to help prevent ovarian cancer – a procedure that is now used worldwide.
• BC Cancer – Victoria’s Deeley Research Centre was the first lab in Canada to make CAR-T cells, which bind to and destroy blood cancer cells.
• A first-of-its-kind test, which uses just a tablespoon of blood and provides doctors unprecedented insight into patients’ cancer make-up — increasing the opportunity to select more personalized treatment options.

Activating World-Class Experts

People are at the core of cancer care – from researchers to clinicians to allied health workers. The BC Cancer Foundation supports attracting and retaining world-class experts at BC Cancer’s Research Institute and six cancer centres by establishing fellowships, creating Chair positions to support research, and funding clinical trials.

These experts not only deliver the care that British Columbians need, but are also the minds driving the necessary innovation. Cancer experts come from across Canada and globally to work and conduct research at BC Cancer – it’s the goal of the Foundation to increase these numbers by fostering new opportunities to work in leading-edge facilities.

“Our experts are already among the best in the world. Now we need to expand our teams across the province and help them unleash their full potential,” says Dr. Sharlene Gill, medical oncologist at BC Cancer – Vancouver. “We have the opportunity to attract even more top talent to the province by creating more opportunities to conduct world-leading research in all BC Cancer centres.”

Accelerating Access

BC Cancer provides British Columbians access to leading-edge cancer care through a provincial network of six regional centres, as well as through community partner hospitals to support smaller communities.

However, there remains a need to bring cancer care closer to home for many British Columbians. This requires working in partnership with BC Cancer leadership, the Provincial Health Services Authority and the provincial government to ensure existing BC Cancer centres have the latest technology needed to deliver world-class care.

Philanthropic support also creates an opportunity for BC Cancer to expand clinical trial access to more British Columbians – in every corner of the province. This will not only improve outcomes for patients, but also increase the speed at which innovation can occur by broadening the patient base in clinical trials.

Donor support has enabled BC Cancer to be a global leader for decades and its work has changed the world, but there is much more to accomplish. What has already been achieved is unbelievable. Together, what we will achieve is Beyond Belief.

To learn more about the Beyond Belief campaign, its regional impacts or to donate, please visit: GoBeyondBeliefBC.ca

About the BC Cancer Foundation
The BC Cancer Foundation is the fundraising partner of BC Cancer and the largest philanthropic funder of cancer research and care in B.C. Donor support drives leading-edge innovations and helps increase access to treatments across the province – fueling hope for the 80,000 patients who depend on BC Cancer each year.

Media Contact:
Colleen Hamilton, Communications Specialist, BC Cancer Foundation, colleen.hamilton@bccancer.bc.ca