78 new cutting-edge research projects to outsmart all types of cancer
We are the first Canadian organisation dedicated entirely to funding research on all types of cancer, have awarded funding to 78 new highly promising cancer research projects. 74 new projects will receive grants from the organization’s Operating Grants program, and four new projects will receive grants through the Scholarships for the Next Generation of Scientists program (SNGS). This $9.5-million investment is focused on outsmarting all types of cancer.
These research grants are only possible thanks to donations from the public, and to 14 funding partners, including familial memorial funds and other cancer organizations. Since our inception in 1945, we have solely relied on the generosity of Canadians to support our mandate to outsmart all types of cancer.
The projects presenting the strongest potential for improving cancer detection, prevention and treatment were selected following a rigorous review process. “The great quality of the projects we fund gives us strong hopes for the future that we will be able to stop cancer from killing our loved ones. We know that an astonishing 50 per cent of Canadians will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lives, so it is imperative that we act now to accelerate discoveries and extend lives. Our researchers are outsmarting cancer on all fronts, and thanks to the support of Canadians, we are able to help them go further, faster,” explains Lucille Beaudet, Director of Scientific Affairs at the Cancer Research Society.
The 78 new grants are just a portion of the actions we are doing to fund research. We also invest in developing new research avenues, such as Upcycle — a unique drug re-purposing program in Canada aiming to study the anti-cancer properties of off-patent medications approved for other diseases — and collaborates with other organizations to carry major strategic initiatives based on bedside interventions. Our range of action therefore covers the whole spectrum of research, from preliminary data and prevention, to bedside interventions and treatments.
Altogether, our investments in 2019–2020 will support more than 170 of the best Canadian cancer researchers for a total of close to 17 million dollars.
Dedicated to saving lives through 100% cancer research for almost 75 years
2020 will mark our 75th anniversary. Proud of our 100% research mandate, we will highlight our impact as well as our donors across Canada. Substantial progress in the fight against cancer has been made, and modern medicine now knows a lot more about the 200 diseases and more we commonly call cancer, each one presenting its own characteristics. In the last 40 years, five-year survival rates have increased from 25 per cent to 70, 80 and even 90 per cent for certain types of cancers. This is the result of constant cutting-edge scientific research, made possible thanks to our donors. This anniversary will also represent an occasion to reflect together on the next steps to keep the improvements going.