In 1940s Montreal, Betty Caplan is shocked to learn that her mother has cancer. She became aware that everyone around her, in one way or another, was affected by the disease. She wanted to do something about it, but was dismayed to discover that, at the time, cancer research was limited and there was no Canadian organization supporting the cause.
That’s when the idea came to form an organization to help find the cause and ultimately, a solution to cancer. With friends Hattie Rolbin, Mildred Singer and Etta Kastner, the Cancer Research Society (CRS) was founded in 1945 with the mission of raising funds to help doctors and researchers find answers to outsmart cancer.
The CRS has remained true to its mission of funding cancer research.
Since its inception, the CRS has grown steadily. One year after its founding, the CRS awarded its first four research grants of $600 each. A year later, over $14,000 had been distributed.
In the 1980s, the million-dollar mark in research grants and scholarships was passed. To date, over $388 million has been distributed to support Canada’s most promising researchers.