$51,300 OTF Grant helped breast cancer patients in Ontario access educational resources during the pandemic

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 24, 2022 /CNW/ - When the Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN) received a $51,300 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in late 2020, it put it to work, ensuring that breast cancer patients would continue to have access to educational supports throughout the pandemic. The Resilient Communities Fund grant program was developed by OTF to help non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

"The Canadian Breast Cancer Network's commitment to voicing the views and concerns of breast cancer patients through education and advocacy is unmatched," said Ottawa Centre MPP Joel Harden. "The staff and volunteers of this organization have done incredibly important work over the pandemic in supporting breast cancer patients and their families, and I am excited to see how they continue to support their staff and community members with both in-person and online programming with the help from the Ontario Trillium Foundation."

A breast cancer diagnosis brings with it the need for patients and families to quickly learn about a complex disease and make informed decisions about life-saving treatments. The Canadian Breast Cancer Network, Canada's only patient-directed breast cancer health charity, has developed several educational resources to help support patients and families with these important decisions. Funds from this grant helped with staffing costs, creating more information for print and digital resources, and helping with costs involved with virtual workshops and programming.

"The Support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation has allowed us to re-print educational resources and distribute them directly to patients and health centres across Ontario. This funding has also allowed us to host virtual education sessions to ensure that patients continue to have their questions addressed by health care professionals throughout the pandemic," said Cathy Ammendolea, Board Chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Network.

The Canadian Breast Cancer Network continues to ensure that patients in all regions of Ontario, and Canada, have access to credible and current information to help make informed decisions about their treatments and health. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with breast cancer visit www.cbcn.ca to access free educational resources and supports to help navigate this diagnosis.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada's leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario's non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario's economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.  

About CBCN
The Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN) is Canada's leading patient-directed national health charity. The Canadian Breast Cancer Network is committed to ensuring the best quality of care for all Canadians affected by breast cancer and strives to voice the views and concerns of breast cancer patients through the promotion of information sharing, education, and advocacy activities. To learn more about CBCN, visit www.cbcn.ca. 

SOURCE Canadian Breast Cancer Network

Jenn Gordon, Canadian Breast Cancer Network, 613-222-7338, [email protected]