Albertans are all too familiar with the hardships that come with a cancer diagnosis — one in two will receive a diagnosis in their lifetime. While receiving a cancer diagnosis remains difficult and the journey challenging, there has been progress in cancer care.
Thanks to a community of devoted researchers, health-care providers and donors, new technologies and therapies are transforming the lives of those touched by cancer in hopeful ways. This year, the Alberta Cancer Foundation celebrates 40 years of progress. As the Foundation reflects how far cancer care has come, it continues to build momentum, as there is much more to achieve.
Decades of progress
For 40 years, the Alberta Cancer Foundation has worked alongside researchers, health-care providers and communities across the province to create more moments for Albertans facing cancer, and the results speak for themselves. Today, Albertans receive earlier cancer detection, more targeted treatments and better support for patients and their families than they did 40 years ago.
Alberta’s five-year cancer survival rates increased by 8.7 per cent over the past two decades — the largest improvement of any province — and it now has one of the lowest cancer mortality rates in Canada.
“Four decades of progress have transformed cancer care in Alberta — we’ve seen what’s possible when innovation, generosity and courage come together,” says Wendy Beauchesne, Alberta Cancer Foundation CEO. “Through continued dedication and the support of our donors, the future holds even greater promise for Albertans facing cancer and their families.”
New initiatives transforming the future
Alberta has some of the best and brightest in cancer research, committed to creating more hope for Albertans facing cancer. With the help of donor support, new initiatives are changing the landscape of care, creating a foundation that positions us as leaders in cancer care innovation.
Immunotherapy — a personalized therapy that uses a patient’s own immune system to find and destroy their cancer — comes as a new avenue of hope for those who have exhausted all other options. Significant research is happening in the province to help advance immunotherapies for hard-to-treat cancers.
Alberta also has the most robust oncology data source in North America, representing an opportunity to gather and analyze information through data analytics to better understand how to prevent, detect and treat cancer.
A look to the future
Although cancer care has shown promising progress in the last 40 years, the work is far from over — 24,000 Albertans will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
The Alberta Cancer Foundation continues to support cancer clinical trials in Alberta. These trials have the power to help hundreds of thousands of patients. Trials lead to discoveries of new treatments, refinement of existing therapies and improved quality of life for patients across the province. Thanks to the support of donors, researchers and health-care providers, there is continued progress for the future for Albertans facing cancer.
With ongoing support, new technologies, new understanding and new therapies are on the horizon, all with the potential to transform lives in ways that have never been thought possible.
To learn more about how you can help the future of cancer care, visit albertacancer.ca.
This content was produced for the advertiser by RedPoint Media for commercial purposes. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Avenue staff.
