Breast cancer researchers gain funding in new award program

Vancouver, BC – The first competition for the annual Anita Cochrane Memorial Awards were recently held and five BC Cancer Agency researchers won a total of $34,903. The applicants were awarded funding for pilot studies in the field of breast cancer research and education.

The successful researchers and project titles are as follows:

• Chris Baliski, Project Title: Surgical Outcomes Breast Project
• Stephen Chia, Project Title: Pilot Study of Basal Like Markers to Enrich for the Identification of BRCA mutation status in Women 36-45 years old with Triple Negative Breast Cancer Not Meeting Traditional Criteria for Genetic Testing.
• Karen Gelmon, Project Title: The effects of exercise before doxorubicin infusion on cardiac function in breast cancer patients.
• Dr. Alan Nichol, Project title: The incorporation of clinical trial results into practice in British Columbia: The EORTC radiotherapy boost study in young women.
• Scott Tyldesley, Project title: Proliferative scoring of breast tumours in BC patients: Associated prognostic implications and impact on chemotherapy recommendations.

These awards are made possible through the Anita Cochrane Memorial Endowment Fund. Anita Cochrane who, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, spent the final decade of her life raising awareness and participating in the BC Cancer Foundation’s Weekend to End Breast Cancer in support of breast cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency.

To continue her legacy of raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research, Anita’s family and friends generously set up an endowment fund in her name and hold an annual golf tournament, Saving the Girls, in her honour. The proceeds from this event, as well as interest from the Anita Cochrane Memorial Endowment Fund, support the Anita Cochrane Memorial Awards. 

The Anita Cochrane Memorial Awards will enable researchers at the BC Cancer Agency to expand their knowledge of breast cancer, and point to new, more effective ways of prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment. 

“As Anita’s oncologist, I had the pleasure of knowing her for many years, and saw first-hand the passion with which she approached fundraising for cancer research,” says Dr. Stephen Chia. “On behalf of the awards recipients, my thanks goes out to Anita’s family and friends who have continued to support her mission to improve breast cancer outcomes in B.C. and beyond.”