About
One in two Albertans will hear the words “you have cancer” in their lifetime. Seventy years ago, those words would have been devastating, as overall survival from a cancer diagnosis was around 25 per cent. Thanks to donor commitment and investment into research, the overall survival now sits at more than 60 per cent.
It’s real progress and it’s thanks to donors. And with brilliant minds right here in Alberta, novel treatment ideas, and accelerated technology, our research partners believe we are on the cusp of significant advancements.
Donors drive these advancements, this world-class treatment and care, right here at home.
As the official, province-wide cancer fundraising partner for Alberta Health Services, the Alberta Cancer Foundation supports the province’s 17 cancer centres, including the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton and the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, as well as every cancer clinical trial that takes place in Alberta. This positively impacts all patients as close to home as possible, no matter where they live.
Our purpose is to create more moments for Albertans facing cancer by inspiring our community to give to innovation in detection, treatment and care.
Our vision is a cancer-free future. Every donor plays a part in getting us closer to this reality.
Our Impact
Stories from patients like Chris and Lorne are the best demonstration of impact we can provide.
- Chris Brochu remembers the blow his stage 4 metastatic melanoma diagnosis had on him and his family. The once active thirty-three-year-old was eventually faced with a grim prognosis of four weeks to live. Thanks to donors, a clinical trial in immunotherapy gave Chris new hope – and this novel option worked. Now, five years after his diagnosis, Chris is cancer-free. “Cancer research saved my life and I am forever grateful for immunotherapy.”
- What was to be a regular check-up was instead news that Lorne Cochrane had only one year left. But the otherwise healthy 52-year-old was thrown a life-line – an immunotherapy clinical trial. And the treatment saved his life. Today, Lorne continues to share his story to inspire others. “Probably the most rewarding thing about living through this is realizing that [other patients] aren’t going home and living in doom and gloom,” says Lorne. “There is hope.”
We invite you to meet some research rockstars and learn more about the work donors are making possible on our website at albertacancer.ca
How your gift will be used
Donors are bringing the future of cancer treatment and care to Albertans facing cancer, supporting all cancer centres and patients across the province. With one in two receiving a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, gifts in Wills are promising progress in a way nothing else can.
Canada’s largest and most comprehensive cancer care centre is rising in Calgary. Inside this dynamic structure, donors will support world-leading medical teams and researchers as they collaborate on new diagnostic tools and treatment plans, giving patients the best possible outcomes.
The Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton has become a powerhouse for research and innovation. And while cancer is evolving at a rapid pace, national leaders in the field out of the Cross continue to provide the best possible treatment. Together, we can ensure the facility continues to be a leader.
Gifts in Wills are gifts of life. Much of where we are today is thanks to those in the past who shared our vision of a cancer-free future. A chance to honour a loved one, ease the cancer burden for future generations, and leave a legacy, we invite you to consider this gift of life.
