A transformative $100 million donation from an anonymous donor, announced Tuesday, is the landmark gift of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation’s recently launched fundraising campaign.
Carry The Fire, with an historic $2.5 billion target, is designed to accelerate cancer research, education and care at University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
The campaign is the largest cancer fundraising initiative in Canadian history.
It arrives at a pivotal moment in cancer research as advances in artificial intelligence, genomics, precision medicine and cellular therapies create new opportunities to detect cancer earlier and deliver more personalized treatments.
"The Princess Margaret is not just participating in the global cancer ecosystem, it is shaping the model others will follow," said Dr. Miyo Yamashita, President and CEO of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
"This is a moment of real opportunity, and we are ready to meet this challenge. The Princess Margaret has the vision, the expertise and, thanks to the driving power of philanthropy, the momentum."
Philanthropic support will help accelerate discoveries and ensure patients benefit from breakthroughs sooner.
The anonymous donor's gift, the largest in the Foundation's history, and the largest-ever single donation toward cancer research in Canadian history, will support the cancer centre's highest priority needs. That work will provide the flexibility to fuel innovation wherever it can have the greatest impact.
Three priorities to transform cancer care
Carry The Fire will direct philanthropic investment toward three strategic areas with the potential to redefine cancer care in Canada and around the world:
- Stage 0: Detecting and intercepting cancer at its earliest stages, including before it becomes life-threatening
- Beyond Chemotherapy: Advancing precision medicine, immunotherapy, theranostics, genomics and AI-enabled care to deliver more effective, personalized treatments with fewer side effects
- Boundless Cancer Care: Enhancing survivorship, rehabilitation, mental health services and holistic supports for patients and their loved ones
Together, these priorities aim to strengthen Canada's leadership in cancer research and ensure discoveries made at the Princess Margaret continue to improve outcomes for patients worldwide.
Accelerating discoveries across UHN
Dr. Kevin Smith, President and CEO of University Health Network, said the campaign will build on the network’s unique strengths as Canada’s leading academic health sciences centre.
"Princess Margaret is one of the places where the future of cancer care is being created," said Dr. Smith. "Across UHN, we have the extraordinary combination of clinical expertise, scientific discovery, innovation and education needed to move breakthroughs from the laboratory to the bedside and, ultimately, change what is possible for patients.
“Carry The Fire will help us accelerate that work, extend its impact and continue pushing the boundaries of cancer care for patients in Canada and around the world."
As one of the world's leading cancer centres, Princess Margaret works within a deeply collaborative global research network and serves one of the most diverse patient populations anywhere. This combination helps generate insights and discoveries that can be applied to more than 200 cancer types.
Movement for a world free from the fear of cancer
Janice Fukakusa, campaign cabinet co-chair, described Carry The Fire as more than a fundraising effort.
"Carry The Fire is a movement that will shape what becomes possible for people affected by cancer," she said.
"We have an opportunity to accelerate breakthroughs that will change lives here at home and around the world."
By bringing together donors, researchers, clinicians and communities, Carry The Fire seeks to capitalize on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform cancer outcomes and move closer to a world free from the fear of cancer.
