$3 million partnership to promote collaboration on pediatric cancer research

Montreal, QC – The Quebec division of the Canadian Cancer Society and the Cole Foundation have formed a partnership to support collaborative research on leukemia and lymphoma in children and young adults. While $1 million has already been raised, the partners say the ultimate goal is to reach $3 million.

“Half of the amount will come from donors and private sponsors,” said Suzanne Dubois, executive director, CCS – Quebec Division. “The Canadian Cancer Society – Quebec Division will in return contribute the other half, potentially $1.5 million,” she added.

The donations received to date include:

• Cole Foundation, $300,000
• R. Howard Webster Foundation, $300,000
• Mirella & Lino Saputo Foundation, $200,000
• Fonds recherche du Québec – Santé, $100,000
• Birks Family Foundation, $50,000
• Maryse & William Brock Chair, $30,000
• Fondation CHU Sainte Justine, $20,000
• The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation, $10,000
• Morris & Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation, $10,000
• Henry & Berenice Kaufmann Foundation, $2,500
• TOTAL CONFIRMED, $1,022,500

The partners say that Montreal has a large number of researchers in hematology, and although hospitals in the area treat many patients, their research centres too often function like silos, so the full potential of coordinated teamwork is not reached and resources are not maximized. The CCS/Cole Foundation project aims to break down barriers and encourage a closer collaboration between institutions to facilitate the emergence of new ideas. Also, the fund will encourage the training of new research teams that will include the active participation of clinicians.

“One of the innovative aspects of the Cole Foundation/Canadian Cancer Society Research Program is that new research teams from two or three different institutions (including institutions outside of Montreal), with at least one clinician, will be created,” said Dr Jean-Sébastien Delisle, researcher and haematologist at Montreal’s Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and a speaker at the recent CCS/Cole Foundation Research Summit in Mont Gabriel. “The funding made possible by this partnership will also bring a noticeable competitive advantage to clinicians and researchers who will then be able to solicit multiannual funding from national or provincial grant organizations more easily to pursue and widen the scope of their work.”