While I am recuperating and dealing with management of pain I thought I would distract myself long enough to update you on some interesting advances in the Button Family Initiative for Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology and Survivorship.
First of all the program that you, our friends, provided funding for has put the U of C Cummings School of Medicine research team on a great track and their work is producing some very interesting results. Tracey and had a meeting with the Fund Development team and Dr. S that is heading up the research program to get an update.
Things are well under way and we are duly impressed in knowing that the research is invaluable and groundbreaking. During our conversation there was one item, of many, that struck us as interesting. Dr. S’s research is now informing Oncologists in determining the volume of chemotherapy they are giving to the children. A bit of a reversal from typical process. The research has shown that you can reduce the toxicity and still have positive outcomes, but the reduction in toxicity has a significantly positive impact in the long term well being of the child survivors. Makes me so happy to see the funding in action is such positive ways. Thanks everyone, this is important work.
We also wanted to share that the funding you provided is now being rolled into a grand fund development campaign for the Calgary Cancer Centre. The Centre will be built by 2023 and the campaign has plans to raise $250 Million with the funds being raised to ensure it can purchase equipment, fund research and provide supports for patients. To date there has been $70 million raised and the funds you provided is truly a significant portion of this total.
The Button Family Initiative funding fits into the third of the five focus areas of this facility.
1 - Decreasing Cancer in the Population
2 - Improving Cancer Treatment
3 - Improving the Patient Experience
4 - Improving Cancer Outcomes
5 - Empowering the Best and Brightest
This coming weekend there is a fundraiser through our good friends Jim Carter and his wife Heather Shaw. Jim is part of a band called BANC. The Button Family Initiative through OWN CANCER is one of the three beneficiaries. Again we want to thank them for their ongoing support. The show is sold out and promises to be very entertaining.
And to show how much I believe in this magnificent building and requisite funding project I even went out and did a modelling gig for the launch. My agent Sarah Geddes worked hard to get me the gig. I think Daughter Creative has done a great job of positioning the campaign to put the power in our hands as Albertans. “This campaign is about embracing our collective strength,” adds Keli Pollock, creative director at Daughter. You can learn more by going to OWN CANCER
Here is the photo taken by the wonderful Jason Stang. I love it.
Photo Jason Stang