Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada Announces Leadership Transition

Dr. Abby C. Collier will take over from Leah Lariviere as Executive Director, effective August 1, 2024

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – July 30, 2024) – Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada (PCFC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Abby C. Collier as its new Executive Director. Current Executive Director, Leah Lariviere, is retiring after dedicating the last 25 years of her career to improving the lives of those affected by prostate cancer.

Dr. Collier joins PCFC from the University of British Columbia, where she has been a member of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2013. A professor of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Dr. Collier was also the founding director of the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences undergraduate degree program. Her research has been in the fields of human and environmental toxicology, pregnancy and pediatrics, and prostate cancer, with a focus on improving drug/chemical safety and efficacy and on informing drug development in academia and industry. She has more than a decade of strategic leadership experience, including involvement in fundraising and donor relations. Dr. Collier has secured multi-million-dollar investments in equipment, infrastructure, and research grants, and has been involved in policy advisories to governments in Canada and the USA. She has also been an active volunteer with Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada (previously Prostate Cancer Foundation British Columbia) for more than 10 years.

“One of the things I’ve enjoyed most over my career is advocating for what I believe in, whether that’s with corporate or individual donors, decision makers in the medical community and in government, scientists and medical practitioners, or with patients and their families,” says Dr. Collier. “I now get to do that leading an organization I’ve been involved with for more than a decade. I’m eager to build upon Leah’s rich legacy of support and advocacy for those whose lives are impacted by prostate cancer.”

Dr. Collier’s appointment comes at a time when PCFC continues to grow as a national organization dedicated to providing awareness, support, education, advocacy, and research to men, their families, carers and wider communities facing prostate cancer.

“The Board owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Leah for all she has done to build PCFC into the organization it is today. We are also delighted to welcome Dr. Collier as our new Executive Director,” says Peter Fairey, PCFC Board Chairman. “The Board is confident in Abby’s vision for the continued expansion of the Foundation’s offerings across Canada – from funding of research, to strengthening provincial partnerships and collaborations, to the delivery of more programs and support for patients and their families at every step on their journeys with this treatable cancer.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men, with one in eight men expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. With early diagnosis, prostate cancer can be curable. However, a poll conducted by PCFC in 2023 showed that many men delay being tested, and this is a contributing factor in why one in 29 men diagnosed with prostate cancer will lose their lives.

“We see 23,000 new prostate cancer diagnoses every year, and that number will not shrink as Canada’s population ages,” shares outgoing Executive Director, Leah Lariviere. “The work PCFC does is critical, and I am so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far. What started as a phone helpline in the late 1990s is today funding research, delivering 360-degree support services nationally, and providing hope to thousands of Canadian men and their families. It has been a privilege to lead these efforts and I am excited to see how the organization evolves under Abby’s leadership.”

###

About Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada: Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada (PCFC) is a national organization dedicated to the fight against prostate cancer. Founded in 1997 by prostate cancer patients and support group leaders, the Foundation has evolved from a grassroots initiative into Canada’s only national support organization for men and their families coping with a prostate cancer diagnosis. PCFC offers peer support services, resources, research funding, and education, promoting the life-saving benefits of regular, proactive testing for early diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. www.prostatecanada.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/218167